List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Force

This is a list of equipment used by the Korean People's Army Ground Force.

Small arms

Name	Country of origin	Image	Note
Semi-automatic pistols
Type 64	Belgium  North Korea		Unlicensed copy of the FN Browning M1900. Can be fitted with a suppressor.[1]: 100 [2]: A-72  Issued to high-ranking officers and spies.[3]
Makarov PM	Soviet Union		[2]: A-74
Type 68	North Korea		Indigenous copy of Tokarev TT-33 with elements of the Browning Hi-Power.[1]: 43  Former standard issue pistol.[3]
Type 70	North Korea		Self-designed and produced; Modeled after the FN M1910, Makarov PM, and the Walther PPK; chambered in .32 ACP. Issued to high-ranking officers.[3]
Baek-Du San	Czechoslovakia  North Korea		Unlicensed copy of the CZ 75 pistol.[4] Replaced the Type 68 as the standard issue pistol.[3]
CZ 82	Czechoslovakia		Issued to spies with suppressors attached.[3]
FN Baby Browning	Belgium		Issued to spies with suppressors attached.[3]
Inglis Hi-Power	Belgium  Canada		Canadian-made copies issued to spies and special forces commandos.[3]
Sub-machine guns
PPSh-41	Soviet Union  China  North Korea		Made licensed copies under the designation "Type 49" from 1949 until 1955.[1]: 100 [3] The Chinese "Type 50" can only accept box magazines, while the Type 49 only accepts drum magazines of the PPSh-41.[2]: A-79
PPS-43	Soviet Union  China		Both Soviet PPS submachine guns and Chinese Type 54s.[2]: A-80
vz.61	Czechoslovakia		Used by spies.[3]
Type 98 submachine gun	Soviet Union  North Korea		Resembling the Vityaz but with an optical sight and a flash suppressor. Used by special forces.[5]
Sterling submachine gun	United Kingdom		[4]
Shotguns
KS-23	Soviet Union		[6]
Carbine
Type 98[3]	North Korea		Resembles an AKS-74 but with a top-folding stock and has typically a helical magazine attached or in some cases a 30-round magazine. Preferred by mainly Special Operations Forces within the KPA[5]
AK-105	Russia  North Korea		North Korean copy of the Russian AK-105 with a shortened 20-round magazine carrying 5.45x39mm ammunition. The furniture such as the pistol grip and the lightweight stock are made of plastic. Issued to armored crews.[7][8]
SKS	Soviet Union  China  North Korea		Locally manufactured as the Type 63.[3] Chinese Type 56 rifles also used.[2]: A-78
Assault rifles
Type 56	China		Chinese copy of the AK-47.[2]: A-75
Type 58	Soviet Union  North Korea		North Korean copy of the AK-47 produced under licence.[3][4] Standard issue of militia and KPA secondary troops.[1]: 177
Type 68	Soviet Union  North Korea		North Korean copy of the AKM.[2]: A-77  Standard issue among North Korean infantry and being slowly supplanted by the Type 88 or 98.[3]
Type 88	North Korea		North Korean copy of the AK-74. Slowly supplanting the Type 68 as the future standard issue rifle of the KPA.[3] It is designed to use a new NK-designed helical magazine that can hold between 100 and 150 5.45 x 39 mm cartridges besides the standard 30 round magazine.[9]
Type 88 Bullpup	North Korea		Bullpup Type weapon based on the Type 88-2 and ADS, Russian bullpup rifle chambered to fire the 5.45 mm round, fitted with a scope and an vertical handgrip. Issued to special force members[10][11]
Unnamed OICW-type weapon	North Korea		OICW-Type weapon based on the Type 88-2 chambered to fire the 5.45 mm round, as well as a 20 mm bullpup bolt-action over-barrel launcher with magazine containing around 5 rounds of programmable airburst grenades.[12][13]
Norinco CQ	China		Limited use, issued to special force members.[3]
K2	South Korea		Limited use, unlicensed locally made copies, issued to special force members at least since 1990s.[14]
M16A1	United States		Limited use, unlicensed locally made copies, issued to special force members. Seen in use by North Korean Commandos in the Gangneung incident in 1996.[15][16]
Sniper rifles
Mosin-Nagant[4]	Soviet Union		Fitted with a telescopic sight.[2]: A-81
Jeogyeok-Bochong Type 76	North Korea		Unlicensed version of the Zastava M76 rifle. Issued to ghillie squad from KPA Special forces.[3]
Dragunov SVD	Soviet Union		[2]: A-81 [3][4]
Machine guns
DP-28	Soviet Union  China		DPM, Chinese Type 53, and RP-46 variants used by the KPA.[2]: A-85 [3]
RPD	Soviet Union  North Korea		Produced locally as the Type 62.[3]
Type 64[1]: 770	Soviet Union  North Korea		North Korean copy of the RPK machine gun, produced under license.[4]
RPK-74	Soviet Union		[2]: A-82
Type 73	North Korea		Indigenous design based on the ZB vz. 26 and the Kalashnikov PK machine gun design.[3]
Gun-2 Minigun	North Korea		Indigenous electric-powered Gatling-type gun, chambered to fire 7.62x54mmR.[3]
Type 82	Soviet Union  North Korea		North Korean copy of the PKM machine gun. Replaced the Type 73 as the KPA standard general-purpose machine gun.[3]
Heavy Weapons
DShKM[4]	Soviet Union  China		Standard issue. The Chinese Type 54 machine gun is also used by the KPA.[2]: A-87 [3]
NSV	Soviet Union		[3]
KPV[1]: 770	Soviet Union  China		Chinese copies are also used by the KPA.[3]
Grenade launchers
GP-25	Soviet Union		Underbarrel grenade launcher. Can be mounted on all Kalashnikov-type rifles.[2]: A-76
AGS-17	Soviet Union		[2]: A-89 [3][4]
Flamethrowers
ROKS-3	Soviet Union		[2]: A-88
Non-lethal
ZM-87	China		Reported to have been used to illuminate two US Army Apache helicopters in 2003.[17]

Reserve small arms

(Used by Worker-Peasant Red Guards).

• TT-33^[2]: A-73 - Soviet supplied pistols and Type 68 copies replaced in frontline service by the Baek-Du San pistol.^[3]
• PPSh-41 - Used by the Worker-Peasant Red Guards.^[18]
• Mosin-Nagant^[4] - Used by the Worker-Peasant Red Guards.^[18]
• Type 63 - North Korean copy of the SKS, used by the Worker-Peasant Red Guards.^[3]
• Type 58 - North Korean copy of the AK-47, used by second-line troops and militia.^{[3][1]: 177}
• DP-28 - Soviet supplied machine guns and Chinese Type 53 copies replaced in frontline service by the Type 62.^[3]
• Type 73 - Replaced in frontline service by the Type 82.^[3]
• RPG-2^[2]: A-32 - Replaced in frontline service by the RPG-7.^[3]

Besides small arms, the Worker-Peasant Red Guards also maintains heavier weapons such as mortars, anti-aircraft guns,^[2]: 34 and some obsolete vehicles such as T-34 tanks and SU-100 tank destroyers.^[18]

Armour

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Photo	Notes
Tanks
Chonma-ho-1 Chonma-ho-2 Chonma-ho-3	Main battle tank	1,200[19] for all Chonma-ho variants	North Korea		Originated as Korean upgrade of Soviet-supplied T-62 before shifting into local production. 1 has no rangefinder, 2 has rangefinder and 3 is a dubious designation possibly for Chonma-92.[20] 9K38 Igla only seen on early models with cast turret and not on the -92,-98 or -214 despite sharing similar turret to the -215 and -216 which are seen equipped with it.[20] Distinctive due to two bolts near the top edge of the lower glacis plate.
Chonma-ho-4 Chonma-ho-5					Later improved with T-62M derived applique armor, improved fire control systems, and improved sighting systems. Has been observed equipped with Reactive armor, uses laminate and welded turret, possible with composite armour.[21]
Chonma-215 Chonma-216		600[22]	North Korea		Turret is largely similar to Chonma-214, but chassis has 6 wheels per side. Chonma-215 features manually controlled ATGM and 9K38 Igla. Chonma-216 features remote controlled ATGM and 9K38 Igla.
Songun-915[23]		Unknown	North Korea		Similar chassis to Pokpung-ho, however uses a dome shaped cast turret, similar in shape to T-62, but significantly larger. Fitted with 2A46 125 mm gun. Sometimes see with reactive armour and single or dual Igla.
M2020[24]		Unknown	North Korea		New prototype tank with strong resemblance to the T-14 Armata or M1 Abrams. Anti-tank guided missile is fitted to turret side.[25] It possibly has active protection system.[26]
Type 59		175[19][27]	China		Modified with KPV heavy machine gun and on some vehicles, a 9K38 Igla.
T-54/55		2,000[19]	Soviet Union		Can be equipped with spaced armor to defeat HEAT warheads.[28] Modified with 14.5mm KPV machine gun.
T-62		970[19]	Soviet Union
T-72		Unknown	Soviet Union		The DPRK allegedly purchased a number of T-72 and its parts from various countries after being rejected an order of T-90 tanks.[26]
Model 1981 "Shin'heung"	Amphibious light tank	50+	North Korea		Chassis is likely a derivative of the VTT-323.[29]
PT-76		550	Soviet Union		Some PT-76 are in reserve status.
Armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles
VTT-323 (M-1973)	Infantry fighting vehicle	Unknown	North Korea		Based on the YW-531.
Model 2009 (Chunma-D, or Junma-Le)[30]		Unknown	North Korea		Based on the PT-85 light tank hull but fitted with a turret from a M-2010 personnel carrier.[30]
BMP-1		222[19]	Soviet Union
M-2010 (Chunma-D)	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A	North Korea		A modified clone of the BTR-80,[31] dual 14.5mm KPV machine gun and coaxial 7.62mm machine gun. Some have single Igla.
M-2010 (6 x 6 version)		N/A	North Korea		A shortened version of the M-2010,[32] fitted with same armament as above.
8×8 APC		N/A	North Korea		Resembles the American Stryker, carries either a gun resembling a D-30 122 mm howitzer or five Kornet-based ATGMs.[33][34][35]
BTR-60PB		1,000[19]	Soviet Union		First ordered in 1966.
BTR-80A		35[19]	Soviet Union		Imported from Russia, fitted with Shipunov 2A42.
M1992		Unknown	Soviet Union  North Korea		Locally designed APC based on the BRDM-2.[36] Armed with an AGS-17 grenade launcher and a 9K113 Konkurs ATGM.

Vehicles

Artillery

Anti-tank weapons

Anti-aircraft weapons

References

This page was last edited on 13 April 2024, at 23:22