[dragoon500ly]

Here is what North Korea (The Democractic People's Republic of Korea) brought into the Twilight War...source is the Military Balance series...

Population: 18,800,000
Army: 700,000
2 armored divisions
3 motor infantry divisions
35 infantry divisions
5 armored brigades
4 infantry brigades
Special Forces (100,000) consisting of:
23 ground, 3 amphibious and 1 airborne bdes
2 independent tank regiments
5 independent infantry regiments
250 artillery battalions
82 MRL battalions
5 SSM battalions
5 river crossing regiments (13 bns)

300 T-34
2,200 T-54/T-55/T-62
179 Type 59 MBT
100 PT-76
50 Type 62 lt tanks
140 BA-64 armored cars
200 BMP-1
1,000 BTR-40/-50/-60/-152 and Type 531 APCs
3,300 76mm/85mm/100mm/122mm/130mm/152mm towed artillery pieces
800 SU-76/SU-100 SP guns
11,000 82mm/120mm/160mm/240mm mortars
2,000 107mm/122mm/140mm/200mm/240mm MRLs
54 FROG-5/-7 SSMs
1,500 82mm/107mm RCLs and towed 45mm/57mm and 75mm antitank guns
8,000 23mm/37mm/57mm/85mm/100mm towed AA guns
1,000 ZSU-23-4 and ZSU-57-2 SP AA guns

Reserves: 230,000 forming 23 infantry divisions (maintained at cadre str)
another 1,000,000 trained reservists

Navy: 33,500
21 d-e submarines: 4 Sov-W, 4 Ch R-classes, 13 local construction
4 frigates (2 in reserve)
18 FAC(M) Soviet
151 FAC(G) mix of Soviet, Chinese and local
182 FAC(T) mix of Soviet, Chinese and local
32 large patrol craft: max of Soviet, Chinese and local
30 coastal patrol craft; mix of Soviet and local
9 LCU, 15 LCM, 75 LCVP
2 coastal defense artillery regiments with SM-4-1 SSMs and 130mm guns

Reserves: 40,000

Air Force: 51,000
3 light bomber squadrons with 70 Il-28
1 FGA sqn with 20 Su-7
9 FGA sqns with 290 MiG-15/-17
3 FGA sqns with 100 MiG-19/Chinese Q-5
12 interceptor sqns with 100 MiG-19 and 160 MiG-21
Transports include 250 An-2; 10 An-24; 5 Il-14; 4 Il-8; 1 Tu-154
Helicopters include 40 Mi-4, 20 Mi-8
Trainers include 20 YaK-11; 70 Yak-18; 100 MiG-15/-19/-21; 30 J-6
4 SAM Brigades (12 bns) with 250 SA-2 and 40 SA-3

Forces Abroad: Iran 300; Zimbabwe 130; Madagascar 100; Uganda 40

Paramilitary Forces: Security Forces and border guards: 38,000; Workers-Farmers Youth Red Guard: 1,760,000

North Korea's aims have remained unchanged since the 1953 armistice, the overthrow of the government of South Korea and the establish of a Communist government over the entire peninsula. Since 1953 there has been over 2,000 incidents, most of them in or near the DMZ and aimed at discouraging the US presence in Korea. The most serious of these incidents was the attempted assassination of the South Korea President by NK Commandos in January,1968, the seizure of the USS Pueblo that same month, the shooting down of a USAF EC-121 on April 15, 1969 and the murder of two unarmed US Army officers who were trimming trees in the DMZ in August 1976.

While North Korea has maintained its own policies since 1956 (independent of Soviet or Red Chinese influence) and has achieved a measure of economic independence, the DPRK is still dependent on both of its allies for military support. The DPRK is maintaining a cautious, friendly nonalignment with both Communist giants.

The DPRK's basic strategic problem is its proximity to a heavily armed and hostile non-Communist nation (South Korea, the Republic of Korea). The DPRK is within easy striking range of US bases in Japan and Okinawa. Its factories, hydroelectric plants and population centers are highly concentrated and its railroad and highway network is highly vulnerable to attack. Its long east and west coasts are vulnerable to amphibious attack and require a large and active patrol force.

The DPRK faces a continuing strategic and military problem in that it is walking a diplomatic tightrope between the worsening situation between China and the Soviets. The DPRK needs Russian backing to discourage incursions from China as well as providing military and economic support. The DPRK must also maintain friendly relations with China (who also has the longest border) as the DPRK still depends on military support from China in case of a renewed war with South Korea.

The principal supporter of the DPRK's military and its growing economy has been the Soviet Union. Due to this aid, the DPRK was able to mount its nearly successful attack on the ROK in June 1950. The Soviet Union also rebuilt the DPRK's shattered military and economy following the 1953 armistice. Since then, China has also contributed to the DPRKs military, although being incapable of providing the heavy support that the USSR provides.

When the DPRK began openly supporting Chinese policy in 1963, the Soviets cut off all military and economic aid, which include fuel and parts for the largely Soviet supplied air force. But in 1965, when the DPRK changed its pro-Peking position and drew closer again to the USSR, military and economic aid was resumed and even increased.

The DPRK has military aid treaties with both the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.