Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces

Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces
조선인민군 특수작전군
朝鮮人民軍 特殊作戰軍
Chosŏn-inmin'gun teugsujagjeongun
Patch of the Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces (2022–)
Active30 October 1968 (1968-10-30)–present
Country Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Allegiance Workers' Party of Korea
TypeSpecial operations
RoleSpecial operations
Size200,000[1][2][3]
Part of Korean People's Army
EngagementsRussian invasion of Ukraine
Commanders
Chief of the General StaffKorean People's Army Vice Admiral Ri Yong-gil
Commander-in-Chief of the Special Operations ForcesColonel General Kim Yong Bok

The Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces (KPASOF; Korean: 조선인민군 특수작전군; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 特殊作戰軍; Chosŏn-inmin'gun teugsujagjeongun) are the special operations forces of Korean People's Army.

History

North Korean special operations forces existed by late-1968 when maritime commandos made the unsuccessful Uljin–Samcheok Landings against South Korea.[4]

A new special operations unit wearing what appeared to be modern combat gear appeared in the Day of the Sun military parade on 15 April 2017.[5]

According to North Korean state media, the new unit, the Lightning Commandos, was intended to counter the U.S. Navy SEALs and Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla.[6][7]

On July 27, 2023, soldiers from the 41st Amphibious Assault Battalion marched during a military parade.[8]

Elements of the KPASOF have been deployed to Russia as a part of the North Korean involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[9]

Mission

The missions of the KPA Special Operations Forces are to breach the fixed defense of South Korea, to create a "second front" in the enemy's rear area, and to conduct battlefield and strategic reconnaissance.[10][11]

The KPA SOF performs military, political, and psychological operations.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, the KPA SOF also counters American and South Korean attempts to end Kim Jong-Un's rule.[12][13][14]

Organization

Reconnaissance Brigades

The KPASOF are part of the ground intelligence effort of the KPA.[15] Additionally, these units carry out assassination attempts.[15]

Airborne

The Antonov An-2 transport aircraft is used for infiltration.[15] They can also carry unguided bombs and rockets for night attacks.[16]

Maritime SOF

A 1998 U.S. Army estimate assessed that the North Koreans can deliver over 7,000 SOF personnel to each of South Korea's coastlines.[17]

Based on the number of ships available to the KPA special forces, they could deliver 5,000 of these soldiers in one lift (approximately 102 amphibious craft).[15]

It is expected that these special forces once ashore, will attempt to infiltrate South Korea's rugged terrain to attack the South Koreans in their rear areas just before and during the renewed commencement of hostilities between the two countries.[15]

The KPA Navy has 24 Romeo class diesel electric submarines.[15] as well as specially outfitted Sang-O class submarines for coastal infiltrations. Finally, the KPA Navy possesses at least forty-five midget submarines for infiltrating two to five man teams into South Korean territory.[18]

Weapons

Name Country of origin Type Notes
Baek Du San North Korea Pistol Locally produced copy of the CZ 75[19][20]
vz.61 Czechoslovakia Machine pistol [21]
AK-105[22] North Korea Carbine Locally produced copies with a shortened barrel and a 20-round box magazine[23]
Type 88 North Korea Assault rifle AK-74 copy, used with top folding stocks and helical magazine attached[24]
M16A1 United States Assault rifle Locally made copies or some provided to North Korea through Vietnam;[21] spotted during the 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident[25][26]
K2 South Korea Assault rifle Locally made copies in production since the 1990s.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Military Stalemate: How North Korea Could Win a War with the US".
  2. ^ "2016 Defense White Paper" (PDF). Ministry of National Defense. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  3. ^ "North Korean Special Operations Forces: Hovercraft Bases (Part I)". 25 January 2018.
  4. ^ Bolger, Daniel P., "Scenes from an Unfinished War: Low Intensity Conflict in Korea, 1966–1969", Leavenworth Papers No. 19, Combat Studies Institute, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, p. 86
  5. ^ "N.Korea Touts Special Ops Forces". Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on 2017-11-10. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  6. ^ ARIRANG NEWS (17 April 2017). "N.Korea state media confirms new special forces unit unveiled during Saturday's parade". Archived from the original on 2021-12-20 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Jones, Brian Adam (21 April 2017). "Why North Korea's Special Operations Forces Should Not Be Underestimated". Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Why North Korea debuted a new battalion to hunt down South Korean 'pi…". Archived from the original on 2023-08-29.
  9. ^ Valerio, Helen Regan; Yoonjung Seo, Mike (2024-12-18). "Indoctrinated, loyal and well trained: Don't underestimate North Korean soldiers in Russia, experts say". CNN. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  10. ^ Handbook, North Korea, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C., 1993, p. 3-119
  11. ^ Savada, Andrea Matles, ed. (1994). North Korea: a country study (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. p. 224. ISBN 0-8444-0794-1. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  12. ^ "東森新聞". 東森新聞 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  13. ^ 中央通訊社 (2017-04-17). "應對韓美斬首行動 北韓成立特殊作戰軍 | 國際 | 重點新聞". 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  14. ^ 中時新聞網 (2017-04-17). "反制美韓斬首行動 北韓設特殊作戰軍 - 軍事". 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Bermudez, Joseph S. Jr., "North Korean Special Forces" (1988), Jane‘s Publishing Company, Surrey, United Kingdom
  16. ^ Newdick, Thomas (6 May 2021). "Soviet-Designed An-2 Biplanes Are South Korea's Secretive Aggressors". The War Zone. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  17. ^ Military Review, "Solving Threat SOF Challenges", MarApr 98, General John H. Tilelli Jr., U.S. Army, and Lieutenant Colonel William P. Gerhardt, U.S. Army
  18. ^ Andrew Toppan, "World Navies Today: North Korea", Hazegray Online Archived 2009-05-25 at the Wayback Machine, Accessed 30 May 2009
  19. ^ Shea, Dan; Hong, Heebum (1 June 2012). "NORTH KOREAN SMALL ARMS (DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA)". Small Arms Review. Chipotle Publishing. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  20. ^ Mitzer & Oliemans 2020, p. 31.
  21. ^ a b Mitzer & Oliemans 2020, p. 87.
  22. ^ Mitzer & Oliemans 2020, p. 32.
  23. ^ "The Elite Small Arms Of North Korea". Archived from the original on 2023-10-17.
  24. ^ "North Korean Helical AK Magazines – Armament Research Services". armamentresearch.com. 4 February 2014.
  25. ^ "A Weapon Displayed From North Korea Special Forces and their Submarine". MBC News. 25 September 1996.
  26. ^ "Equipment of North Korean Special Forces and Espionage". Yu Yong-won's Military World, Chosun Ilbo. 16 April 2013.
  27. ^ "시사저널 – 북한 5만 특공대, 저공 침투 대기중". sisapress.com. 19 September 1996. Archived from the original on 3 June 2018.

Bibliography

  • Mitzer, Stijn.; Oliemans, Joost (2020). The Armed Forces of North Korea: On the Path of Songun. Helion and Company. ISBN 9781910777145.
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