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Text/Editor/Xiao Yan's view of the world
The Korean People's Army, as the regular army of the DPRK, has always been the core of the country's military strength since the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. Today, we're going to explore the eight main individual combat weapons that the North Korean army is equipped with to get an idea of its military strength. From replica "Baektu Mountain" pistols to classic Type 58 automatic rifles, each weapon reflects North Korea's military strategy and technical capabilities. Through an in-depth analysis of these weapons, including their design, function, and historical background, we can gain a more complete understanding of the strength of the Korean People's Army. In addition to these, do you know about other well-known North Korean military equipment?
The Korean People's Army, as the main military organization of the DPRK, has always attached importance to the renewal and independent research and development of its weapons and equipment. In the 60s of the 20th century, the North Korean army began to work on the imitation and development of a series of semi-automatic pistols in order to strengthen its military strength. This article will tell you more about these semi-automatic pistols, as well as their application and characteristics in the North Korean army.
The Type 64 semi-automatic pistol is based on the Browning M1900 design, which fires 7.65×17 mm Colt rounds with a magazine capacity of 7 rounds and an effective range of about 30 meters. This pistol is characterized by its accuracy and portability, which is especially favored by high-ranking officers and agents. The Type 64 also has a micro-acoustic version with a dedicated silencer for stealthy operations.
The design of the Type 66 semi-automatic pistol was borrowed from the former Soviet Makarov pistol. It fires 9×18mm Makarov rounds with a magazine capacity of 8 rounds. With its stable performance and classic design, this pistol became the main equipment of agents and high-ranking officers of the North Korean army.
The Type 68 semi-automatic pistol is an imitation of the Tokarev TT-33 pistol of the former Soviet Union, and although there are some changes in shape and construction, such as a larger hammer and different grip angles, it still retains the core features of the prototype. It fires 7.62×25 mm Tokarev rounds, has a magazine capacity of 8 rounds, and has an effective range of 50 meters. In the 70s of the 20th century, this pistol became the standard equipment of the front-line troops of the DPRK.
The Type 70 semi-automatic pistol is North Korea's first self-developed pistol. It combines design elements of the Makarov and Browning M1910 pistols, is compact and lightweight, fires 7.65×17mm ammunition, and has a magazine capacity of 8 rounds. The Type 70 is not only issued to senior officers, but is also widely used by agents and non-front-line combatants.
The "Baektu Mountain" semi-automatic pistol is the result of the imitation of the Czech CZ75B pistol, which retains the main appearance of the prototype gun, but makes some adjustments in details, such as the duckbill design of the hammer part and the relatively rough production process. This pistol, which fires 9×19mm parabellum rounds, gradually replaced the Type 68 and Type 70 and became standard equipment for officers and regular troops. In particular, some of its models were also used as honorary prizes to be awarded to meritorious generals.
The CZ83 semi-automatic pistol is a compact pistol developed in the Czech Republic in the 70s. It fires both 7.65×17mm Browning and 9×17mm Browning shorts, and is fed with a 10-round double-row magazine. This pistol, due to its versatility and compact design, was also adopted by the DPRK in the 80s and 90s, especially among high-ranking officers.
North Korea, despite its geographical and economic scale, and its population is only about the size of some of China's provinces, has a relatively well-developed defense industry. In particular, the DPRK has demonstrated considerable autonomy in the manufacture and improvement of weapons and equipment for the army, navy, and air force, especially in the production of firearms, and its self-sufficiency surpasses that of many other countries.
The main firearms of the DPRK army are mainly based on the imitation and improvement of Soviet-standard firearms. For example, in the 60s of the 20th century, North Korea copied the AK47 automatic rifle of the Soviet Union, created the Type 58 automatic rifle, and continued to improve it in the following decades. This weapon is distinguished by its high reliability and is even considered to surpass the original AK47. The Type 58 and its modifications, such as the Type 58-1 and Type 58-2, are still widely used by the North Korean army to this day.
North Korea also copied the Soviet SKS semi-automatic rifle and manufactured the Type 63 semi-automatic rifle, which was mainly equipped in second-line troops and local units. It is worth noting that this firearm is completely different from the Chinese Type 63 automatic rifle, only the name is the same. In addition, in the late 60s, the DPRK developed the Type 68 automatic rifle based on the Soviet AKM automatic rifle. Due to its compact size, the Type 68 automatic rifle, which is mainly equipped in the navy, women's units and armored infantry units, is still widely in service with the North Korean army today and often appears at military parades in North Korea.
With the development of military equipment around the world, small-caliber automatic rifles have become mainstream. In response to this trend, at the end of the 80s of the 20th century, the DPRK developed the Type 74 automatic rifle based on the Soviet AK88 automatic rifle, which uses 5.45 mm caliber ammunition. Subsequently, the DPRK introduced improved models such as the 88-1 and 88-2.
At the beginning of the 21st century, a new concept appeared in the design of military equipment - the strategic rifle. This design is designed to enhance the combat capabilities of individual infantry soldiers, especially in enhancing strikes against field fire points. However, the development of such a rifle faced significant challenges. Despite the fact that the strategic rifle was armed with such advanced modules as small-caliber guns, this led to a significant increase in its weight and a more complex operation. Most soldiers struggle to cope with the recoil of 20mm ammunition, and the mechanical complexity increases the failure rate. In fact, many militaries have found that the actual effectiveness of strategic rifles has not increased dramatically due to the fact that traditional rifles are equipped with grenade launchers for the battlefield. As of 2015, the discussion of strategic rifles has been significantly reduced, and North Korea, although it has demonstrated such weapons, has not equipped its troops on a large scale, given its high cost and limited practicality, except in combination with advanced exoskeleton technology.
North Korea's Type 98 assault rifle is a homegrown version of the Soviet AK74 assault rifle and has been frequently featured in recent military parades. This assault rifle is unique in that it is equipped with a large-capacity drum feeder that can hold up to 100 rounds, significantly improving the duration of fire. Despite this, the Type 98 assault rifle relied primarily on traditional magazines for ammunition.
North Korea also used drum feeders for light machine guns, and while this increased the continuity of fire, the complexity of such feeders led to a high failure rate. The intense bumps in the battlefield environment make the reliability of the drum feeder a problem. While a single drum can hold a large number of bullets, soldiers are usually only able to carry a small number of rollers due to their ammunition and physical limitations. Once the drum fails, it will seriously affect the combat effectiveness. This is also why such feeders are not widely used in other countries. North Korea may be motivated more by display than by real combat needs.
The equipment of the North Korean special operations team is a special submachine gun with a stockless design, which is easy to carry and operate. The gun body is equipped with a handle for easy installation of an optical sight. Laser pointers or tactical lights can also be installed on the side of the receiver to enhance night combat capabilities. This submachine gun is very suitable for use by non-front-line combat units such as armored troops and artillery, and can play an excellent performance in close combat.
The DPRK's military strength has developed markedly in the new century, and in particular, it has made major progress in the research and development of advanced weapons systems. Here are ten of the most advanced weapons systems in the North Korean army, which represent the highest level of military technology in the country.
Hwasong-17 ICBM: This ICBM is an important force of the North Korean military, capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and having a range of more than 15,000 kilometers. It uses high-performance liquid fuel and is equipped with powerful engines, marking a major leap forward in North Korea's missile technology.
KN-09 Rocket Artillery System: This is an advanced multiple launch rocket system with fast loading and efficient launch, which can fire many different types of warheads with a range of up to 200 km.
KN-25 Extra-Large Rocket Artillery System: The KN-600 with a caliber of 25 mm is the most powerful rocket artillery system in the North Korean Army, with an extremely high range and powerful destructive power, and its unique design gives it a significant advantage in long-range fire.
Nongo-class stealth missile boats: Known for their high flexibility and stealth capabilities, this medium-sized warship is equipped with modern weapons systems, including rapid-fire guns and anti-aircraft missiles, and is one of the most advanced warships in the North Korean Navy.
Polaris-2 Submarine-Launched Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile: This medium-range ballistic missile, which uses solid fuel, has good flight guidance performance and interstage separation technology, and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, is another important achievement in North Korea's missile technology.
MiG-29 Fighter: This Soviet-designed fighter is one of the most advanced models in the North Korean Air Force, and although it is slightly behind in some performance, it is still the workhorse of the North Korean Air Force.
Lightning-5 anti-aircraft missile: This air defense system has a long range and fast missile flight speed, and is capable of intercepting multiple targets at the same time, making it one of North Korea's most advanced air defense missile systems.
Suho-class frigates: Despite being designed earlier, these corvettes are equipped with a variety of weapons, including anti-ship missiles, and are still an important part of the North Korean Navy.
Sinpo-class submarine: This submarine is one of the most advanced submarines in the North Korean Navy with advanced power systems and weapons configuration, with good concealment and attack power.
"Xianjun"-915 main battle tank: This main battle tank combines a modern fire control system with powerful firepower, and although it looks a little old, it still has strong combat capabilities on the battlefield.
The development and deployment of these weapons systems reflects the DPRK's independent innovation and continuous progress in military technology, demonstrating the country's ambition and strength as a military power.
The development of rifles in the Korean People's Army began with initial imitations and gradually evolved into improvements and customizations based on the AK series. After several generations of evolution, the Type 88 rifle marks an important milestone in North Korean rifle manufacturing. Although North Korea has not yet fully entered the stage of independent rifle development, the emergence of the Type 88 has laid the foundation for the future direction of development.
From initial imitations to later improvements, North Korea has demonstrated progressively increasing technological capabilities in rifle design and manufacturing. For example, the Type 58 automatic rifle, as a direct imitation of the AK47, is basic, but in detail it has been adapted to local needs. The subsequent Type 68 rifle was a further development of the AKM, demonstrating greater flexibility and applicability, especially in the special forces and naval forces of the North Korean army.
By the time of the Type 88 rifle, North Korea, while maintaining the basic design advantages of the AK series, began to experiment with the introduction of new technical elements, such as an improved aiming system and a more ergonomic grip design. This not only improves the battlefield adaptability of the weapon, but also reflects North Korea's deep understanding of the needs of modern rifles and its gradually increasing ability to innovate independently.
Although the current production of rifles in North Korea still relies on the framework of the AK series, the development of the Type 88 rifle has paved the way for future independent research and development. It is foreseeable that in the near future, the DPRK may introduce a rifle of a completely independent design, which will be an important sign of the autonomy of its military equipment and technological progress. Such a development will further strengthen the combat capabilities of the Korean People's Army, while also demonstrating the country's ambitions and potential in the military-technical sphere.