10 Chilling Facts About North Korea’s Military

In the isolated nation of North Korea, the shadow of a vast and intimidating military apparatus looms large over both its citizens and the international community. Under an authoritarian regime focused on building one of the world’s largest and most secretive armed forces, North Korea has long fueled global concern and tension. Its military capabilities — ranging from massive troop concentrations to alleged nuclear weapons programs — have been the subject of international speculation and debate for decades. This article takes a closer look at North Korea’s formidable military and the potential threats it poses to the region and the world at large.

  1   North Korea has the world’s largest military per capita…

North Korea is believed to have around 1.2 million active military personnel, which equals 47.8 people per 1,000 inhabitants serving in the armed forces. That makes it the highest proportion of military personnel of any country in the world.

In relative terms, this share is nearly ten times higher than in the United States. However, because the country is extremely isolated, these figures are only estimates, as no one can say with absolute certainty what the exact numbers are. [source]

  2   They also maintain a massive reserve force…

As mentioned, the exact numbers are difficult to verify, but North Korea is believed to have between 1.5 and 6 million trained reservists within its Worker–Peasant Red Guards. Many of these individuals are considered ready to take up arms if the country were to go to war.

Due to mandatory conscription, nearly all men in the country receive some form of military training, and they can be called upon even if they are no longer on active duty—sometimes effectively serving as “cannon fodder“. In addition, the country has tens of thousands of military police, most of whom are stationed in the capital, Pyongyang. [source]

  3   North Korea even have their own version of the “Hitler Youth”…

No dictatorship is complete without the exploitation of children, and North Korea is no exception. The Young Red Guards (sometimes referred to as the Red Youth Guard) function as a youth arm of the country’s organized paramilitary forces.

Founded in 1970, the Young Red Guards consist primarily of boys aged 15–17, who undergo 10–15 days of military and survival training each summer to prepare them for mandatory conscription at age 18. As expected, participants are required to provide their own food and pay for their uniforms themselves. [source]

  4   No one knows exactly how much they spend on their military…

North Korea’s songun policy places the military above all other state priorities, meaning resources are funneled to the armed forces while the civilian population is forced to endure chronic shortages and the constant threat of famine.

So how much money are we talking about? There is no agreed-upon figure. North Korean state media claims military spending accounts for 15.8% of the national budget, but outside estimates range from 25% to as high as 38%. Despite the country’s severe and ongoing economic struggles, there are no signs of any plans to reduce military spending. [source]

  5   North Korea has as many submarines as the United States…

Both North Korea and the United States operate roughly the same number of submarines—about 72 for the U.S. and an estimated 70–75 for North Korea (at the time of writing). But the similarities largely end there.

All U.S. submarines are highly advanced vessels, capable of carrying dozens of nuclear warheads or cruise missiles. North Korea’s fleet, by contrast, consists mostly of aging Soviet-era designs from the 1950s or small coastal patrol submarines. One submarine even mysteriously vanished in March 2016, while another ran aground on a South Korean beach and was captured. Even the Kim family’s much-publicized “new” nuclear submarine is widely believed to be a copy of a 1970s Yugoslav design—and is thought to barely function at all. [source]

  6   North Korea claims it could turn Seoul into a “sea of fire”…

One of the most frequent threats directed at South Korea by North Korea is the assertion that it has enough artillery aimed at the South Korean capital, Seoul, to reduce it to rubble. However, most analysts agree that these claims are almost certainly exaggerated.

North Korea is believed to have around 700 artillery pieces and rocket launchers positioned within range of Seoul. Even so, estimates suggest that up to a quarter of the shells fired would fail to function properly, while South Korea would respond rapidly with counterstrikes. Military experts generally assess that casualties would be severe in the first minutes, but would then drop off sharply, eventually becoming minimal as the initial barrage is neutralized. [source]

  7   Nuclear suicide bombers…?

In 2013, the world was shaken by images of columns of North Korean soldiers marching in a military parade while carrying backpacks marked with the international radiation symbol. Earlier intelligence reports had suggested that the regime was developing a so-called “backpack bomb,” and many observers quickly connected the dots—sparking global alarm. Had North Korea really created miniaturized radioactive bombs designed to be worn by soldiers?

Fortunately, that was not the case. Defectors later reassured Western intelligence that the backpacks were purely for show. They were most likely filled with hazmat suits—or, more plausibly, nothing more than fabric and padding used for propaganda purposes. [source]

  8   Their nuclear capability is one big mystery…

North Korea has conducted four officially acknowledged nuclear tests, and there is evidence suggesting that at least two additional “unofficial” tests may also have taken place. What no one knows for certain is how many nuclear weapons the country actually possesses—or how powerful they really are.

International monitoring groups estimate that North Korea may have between 15 and 20 nuclear warheads, with roughly a dozen believed to be operational. Some of these are thought to be “boosted fission” weapons, often described as dirty bombs. Yet even how these weapons would be delivered remains unclear. The regime’s most reliable long-range missile cannot carry a nuclear warhead, while the missiles capable of carrying one have yet to complete a fully successful test.

In theory, North Korea could attempt to launch nuclear weapons toward Seoul, Tokyo, or even Bangkok based on range alone—but whether they would actually function as intended is unknown. For now, nuclear weapons appear to serve primarily as a deterrent protecting the Kim regime, and as a tool of domestic and international propaganda, rather than as a proven, reliable military capability. [source]

  9   Kim Jong-Un fires missiles whenever the U.S. upsets him…

According to defector Kenji Fujimoto, the Japanese sushi chef who once served as the Kim family’s personal cook, Kim Jong‑Un has no intention of starting a full-scale war with either the United States or South Korea.

Instead, Fujimoto claims that Kim orders shows of force—such as missile launches—whenever he feels provoked, particularly in response to international sanctions or what he perceives as “false accusations” against his regime. Fujimoto, who regularly travels back to North Korea from Japan, has also attempted to act as an informal bridge between the two countries, offering rare personal insight into Kim’s decision-making. [source]

  10   North Korea operates multiple cyber warfare units…

North Korea’s hacking capabilities gained worldwide attention after the 2014 Sony hack, which targeted Sony Pictures Entertainment. However, its notorious cyber unit, Bureau 121, had already compromised tens of thousands of computers in South Korea, including those belonging to banks, government agencies, and even the presidential office.

In addition, North Korea is believed to have cyber units stationed in China, allowing operations to be conducted beyond its borders. One of the primary goals of North Korean cyber warfare is to steal cryptocurrency—particularly Bitcoin, which is then channeled into funding the military and weapons programs. [source]