Korean People's Army - Officer Education and Training
The commissioned officers' military education and training system in North Korea is elaborate and includes numerous schools, academies, colleges, and universities. Among these institutions are officer- candidate schools for each armed service; basic and advanced branch schools for armor, artillery, aviation, rear services, and other branches; mid-career staff colleges; senior war colleges; and specialty schools, such as medical and veterinary service schools. The majority of officer candidates are selected from noncommissioned officers (NCOs) who display exemplary military qualities and political reliability. Once selected, candidates receive initial branch training and commissioning from service academies and schools. Ground force officer candidates train at branch-specific schools, such as the Combined Artillery Officer School, Armor Officer School, and Kang Kon General Military Academy (which was established in July 1946 as the Central Security Cadre School, renamed in December 1948 as the First Officer Candidate School, and acquired its current name in October 1950). Air force officer candidates train at either the Kim Ch'aek Air Force Academy or the Kyongsong Flight Officer School; navy officer candidates train at the Kim Ch'ong-suk Naval Academy.
Mid-career command and staff training is offered at all the service academies, various branch schools, and the Kim II Sung Military University. Courses taught at the service academies last six to 12 months, whereas courses that are taught at branch schools tend to be limited to six months. Two schools are of particular importance: Kim II Sung Military University and Man'gyongdae Revolutionary Institute. Kim II Sung Military University is the most prestigious military school and offers advanced training to officers of all services. Various degree programs are offered: company and junior field-grade officers can attend a three- to four-year program; senior field-grade and political officers are eligible to attend a one-year program. Founded in October 1948, Man'gyongdae Revolutionary Institute is an 11 -year mili- tary boarding school for children of the party elite. Many graduates of this prestigious institution go on to serve as party members.
Generally, political officer candidates are selected according to merit, party loyalty, and political reliability among KPA General Political Bureau service members. Candidates receive two years of training at the Political Officers School before commissioning and service in the General Political Bureau or as unit-level political officers. Training focuses on politics, economics, party history, chuck 'e (see Glossary) philosophy, and party loyalty. Advanced training is offered at other institutions, such as Kumsong Political College and Kim II Sung Political University (which was established in November 1945 as the P'yongyang Institute, renamed in January 1949 as the Second Officer Candidate School, and assumed its current name in February 1972).
Political officers for field-grade positions are routinely selected by the political department at the corps level from party members in the corps headquarters. Supplemental training may include a six- month course at a political college. Candidates for positions at the division or higher level are identified by the Organization Department of the KPA General Political Bureau. They then are screened by the party committee and approved by the party Central Committee's Secretariat before appointment as head of a political department at division or higher level. Colleges and universities provide most of the training for reserve officers; information available about the training does not differenti- ate between the officer-selection process and other reserve military training. There may be two separate tracks or a selection process at the end of training.
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