Page 33 - 2020 Defence White Paper

[Chart 1-2] North Korea’s Military Command Structure

Supreme Commander Chapter 1
Central Military Military Security
Commission Bureau Guard Command
General Political General Staff Ministry of National
Bureau Department Defense

xxx xxx xxx xx xx xx
Regular 91 Capital Anti-Aircraft Armored Cavalry Artillery Special Naval Air and Anti-Air Strategic
Corps (10) Defense Artillery Division and Infantry Division Operation Force Force Force Force
Corps Corps Division (6)
11th Corps, etc.
Ground Force
* XXX: Corps XX: Division

3. Military Capabilities

Ground Force The Ground Force is comprised of 10 regular forward- and
rear-deployed corps, 91 Capital Defense Corps, Anti-Aircraft
Artillery Corps, 1 armored division, 6 mechanized divisions , and 1 artillery
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division under the control of the General Staff Department. The road construction
corps and the specialized construction units such as military engineering corps
are under the control of the Ministry of National Defense and the General Political
Bureau, respectively.
North Korea maintains a readiness posture capable of carrying out a surprise

attack at any given time by positioning 70% of its Ground Force south of the
Pyongyang-Wonsan line. The forward-deployed 170 mm self-propelled guns and
240 mm Multiple Rocket Launchers (MRLs), for instance, provide North Korea with
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the capability for a large-scale and concentrated surprise fire targeted at the Greater Two mechanized corps
were renamed to divisions;
Seoul Metropolitan Area. It is focusing on building up its military force by operating organized a total of six
mechanized divisions
various MRLs that are powerful enough to strike the entire Korean Peninsula, such including the existing four.
as the recently developed 300 mm MRLs and super-large MRLs with extended- 33)
33)
range munitions and precision-guided munitions. The armored and mechanized North Korea has been
conducting several test
units have more than 6,900 tanks and armored vehicles, and it has recently developed launches since 2012, and
the assets were unveiled
new tanks with improved maneuverability and survivability as well as an armored at the military parade
on the 70th anniversary
vehicle with various anti-tank guided missiles and mobile artillery, replacing old of establishment of the
Workers’ Party of Korea in
forces. Key assets of the North Korean Ground Force and its new assets identified at October 2015. Meanwhile,
the improved versions of
the military parade marking the 75th anniversary of establishment of its ruling party the assets were unveiled
during the 75th anniversary
are as shown in [Chart 1-3] and [Chart 1-4] below. in October 2020.

Chapter 1. Changes and Challenges in the Security Environment 31