Defence ministry: Ministry of National Defence (on government.ginc.org). Services: Worker-Peasant Red Guards, General Political Bureau, General Staff Department, KPA Ground Force, KPA Special Operation Forces, Korean People's Navy, KPA Air Force, KPA Strategic Force.
North Korea on government.ginc.org · companies.ginc.org (when it opens)
- Active personnel, published
- 1,370,000
- World Bank armed forces total: 1,469,000 (2020)
- Reserves, published
- 420,000
- Whole security apparatus, published
- 1,370,000
- Headcount published for 50 per cent of services, agencies and formations
- Active platforms
- 10,139
- Land 8,374 · Air 1,205 · Sea 560
- Median year in service
- 1959
- Interquartile 1950–1961, weighted by count
- Domestic share
- 17 per cent
- Of active platforms with a known origin
- Supplier concentration
- 0.53
- Herfindahl index of origin across 6 supplier nations
- Nuclear warheads
- 50
- SIPRI Yearbook 2025 estimate
Counts for this nation carry low confidence by default: the site shows a range, not a point, unless an official or SIPRI figure exists.
Force fingerprint
The national security structure sized by active headcount, always from the head of state: row 1 the head of state and government, row 2 the governing bodies (grey, each as wide as the forces beneath it), row 3 the services and agencies coloured by security domain, row 4 the major commands, row 5 the major formations. A hatched segment is a body whose headcount is not published.
Order of battle
The whole national security structure from the head of state down to major formations. Bars are as wide as their headcount; the state and government bodies are drawn grey, as the government directory has them. Click a bar to zoom into it.
Known unknowns
- North Korea acknowledges almost none of its security apparatus in any accessible official source; structure here relies on US Treasury designations, the UN 1718 Committee list and Wikipedia.
- The Reconnaissance General Bureau is not acknowledged by North Korea; its existence is recorded from US Treasury and UN Security Council designations, and its internal bureaux are not modelled.
- The Ministry of State Security was reportedly renamed in 2026; the official English rendering and any change in reporting line are not confirmed.
- All personnel figures are South Korean or IISS estimates via Wikipedia, confidence low; North Korea publishes none.
- The KPA's corps (forward and rear), fleets and air divisions are not officially enumerated and are not modelled.
- The Supreme Guard Command and the Military Security Command are known only from secondary sources and are omitted.
- Whether the Strategic Force and Special Operation Forces report to the General Staff or directly to the Supreme Commander is not published.
Equipment fingerprint
Holdings by taxonomy: row 1 the ministry and its services, row 2 the six domains, row 3 the categories, row 4 each platform held as wide as its count, row 5 its split into active, reserve and on order. A hatched segment is a platform held with no published count.
Holdings
One row per platform held. Each figure is a claim with a source: the most recent official figure where one is published, else the most recent Wikipedia equipment list, else SIPRI's delivered total. Figures are never averaged.
| Reserve | On order | Figure from | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land · Main battle tank | |||||||
| Chonma-hoKPA Ground Force | Main battle tank | 700–1,300 | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| T-54/55KPA Ground Force | Main battle tank | 700–1,300 | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| T-62KPA Ground Force | Main battle tank | 560–1,040 | Soviet Union | 1961 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Type 59KPA Ground Force | Main battle tank | 122–228 | China | 1959 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Pokpung-hoKPA Ground Force | Main battle tank | 70–130 | North Korea | 2002 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Cheonma-2KPA Ground Force | Main battle tank | 7–13 | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| Land · Armoured personnel carrier | |||||||
| BTR-60KPA Ground Force | Armoured personnel carrier | 840–1,560 | Soviet Union | 1959 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| YW531KPA Ground Force | Armoured personnel carrier | 350–650 | China | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| BTR-80AKPA Ground Force | Armoured personnel carrier | 22–42 | Soviet Union | 1986 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Land · Reconnaissance and light armour | |||||||
| PT-76KPA Ground Force | Reconnaissance and light armour | 392–728 | Soviet Union | 1952 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Land · Self-propelled artillery | |||||||
| Chuch'e-PoKPA Ground Force | Self-propelled artillery | held | Unknown | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| KoksanKPA Ground Force | Self-propelled artillery | held | North Korea | 1978 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| TokchonKPA Ground Force | Self-propelled artillery | held | Unknown | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| Land · Towed artillery | |||||||
| S-60KPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | 420–780 | Soviet Union | 1950 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| KS-19KPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | 350–650 | Soviet Union | 1947 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| 122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19)KPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | held | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| 152 mm howitzer M1938 (M-10)KPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | held | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| 152 mm howitzer M1943KPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | held | Soviet Union | 1943 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| 152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)KPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | held | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| ZPUKPA Ground Force | Towed artillery | held | Soviet Union | 1949 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Land · Rocket artillery and MLRS | |||||||
| M142 HIMARSKPA Ground Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | 85–159 | United States | 1996 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| BM-11KPA Ground Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | held | Soviet Union | 1963 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| KN-09KPA Ground Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| KN-25KPA Ground Force, KPA Strategic Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| M-1977KPA Ground Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | held | Soviet Union | 1963 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| M-1985KPA Ground Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | held | Soviet Union | 1963 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Type 63 rocket launcherKPA Ground Force | Rocket artillery and MLRS | held | China | 1961 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Land · Mortars (120 mm+) | |||||||
| M1943KPA Ground Force | Mortars (120 mm+) | held | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| Land · Anti-tank missile system | |||||||
| 9M113 KonkursKPA Ground Force | Anti-tank missile system | held | Soviet Union | 1974 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| 9M133 KornetKPA Ground Force | Anti-tank missile system | held | Russia | 1994 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| RPG-7KPA Ground Force | Anti-tank missile system | held | Soviet Union | 1960 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Land · Ground-based air defence (short range) | |||||||
| 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939KPA Ground Force | Ground-based air defence (short range) | 700–1,300 | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)KPA Ground Force | Ground-based air defence (short range) | 280–520 | Soviet Union | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| 9K111 FagotKPA Ground Force | Ground-based air defence (short range) | held | Soviet Union | 1970 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| 9K32 Strela-2KPA Ground Force | Ground-based air defence (short range) | held | Soviet Union | 1968 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| 9K38 IglaKPA Ground Force | Ground-based air defence (short range) | held | Soviet Union | 1981 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Land · Ground-based air defence (medium and long range) | |||||||
| S-125KPA Air Force | Ground-based air defence (medium and long range) | 210–390 | Soviet Union | 1961 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| S-200KPA Air Force | Ground-based air defence (medium and long range) | 52–98 | Soviet Union | 1967 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| 9K35 Strela-10KPA Ground Force | Ground-based air defence (medium and long range) | held | Soviet Union | 1979 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| KN-06KPA Air Force | Ground-based air defence (medium and long range) | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Pyoljji-1-2KPA Air Force | Ground-based air defence (medium and long range) | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Sea · Amphibious assault ship | |||||||
| PT-85KPA Ground Force | Amphibious assault ship | 392–728 | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| 9P122KPA Ground Force | Amphibious assault ship | held | Soviet Union | 1962 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Fleet Ocean TugboatKorean People's Navy | Amphibious assault ship | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| air-cushioned landing craftKorean People's Navy | Amphibious assault ship | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| cutterKorean People's Navy | Amphibious assault ship | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| landing craft mechanizedKorean People's Navy | Amphibious assault ship | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| landing craft utilityKorean People's Navy | Amphibious assault ship | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| vehicle and personnel landing craftKorean People's Navy | Amphibious assault ship | held | Italy | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| Sea · Destroyer | |||||||
| destroyerKorean People's Navy | Destroyer | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| Sea · Frigate | |||||||
| corvetteKorean People's Navy | Frigate | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| Sea · Fast attack and patrol craft | |||||||
| patrol vesselKorean People's Navy | Fast attack and patrol craft | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| stealth shipKorean People's Navy | Fast attack and patrol craft | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| torpedo boatKorean People's Navy | Fast attack and patrol craft | held | North Korea | 1991 | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | ||
| Sea · Nuclear-powered submarine | |||||||
| frigateKorean People's Navy | Nuclear-powered submarine | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| Sea · Conventional submarine | |||||||
| Diesel-electric submarineKorean People's Navy | Conventional submarine | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| coastal submarineKorean People's Navy | Conventional submarine | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| midget submarineKorean People's Navy | Conventional submarine | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| submarine tenderKorean People's Navy | Conventional submarine | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| Sea · Replenishment and auxiliary | |||||||
| submarine rescue shipKorean People's Navy | Replenishment and auxiliary | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of active ships of the Korean People's Navylow | |||
| Air · Fighter and multirole | |||||||
| Shenyang J-5KPA Air Force | Fighter and multirole | 74–138 | China | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Shenyang J-6 F-6CKPA Air Force | Fighter and multirole | 68–126 | China | 1961 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Mikoyan MiG-29KPA Air Force | Fighter and multirole | 24–46 | Soviet Union | 1983 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Chengdu J-7 F-7IKPA Air Force | Fighter and multirole | 21–39 | China | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21KPA Air Force | Fighter and multirole | 18–34 | Soviet Union | 1959 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · Strike and bomber | |||||||
| Ilyushin Il-28 H-5KPA Air Force | Strike and bomber | 56–104 | Russia | 1950 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23KPA Air Force | Strike and bomber | 39–73 | Soviet Union | 1970 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Sukhoi Su-25 KKPA Air Force | Strike and bomber | 24–44 | Soviet Union | 1981 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Sukhoi Su-25 UBKKPA Air Force | Strike and bomber | 24–44 | Soviet Union | 1981 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · Attack helicopter | |||||||
| Mil Mi-24KPA Air Force | Attack helicopter | 14–26 | Soviet Union | 1969 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · Airborne early warning and control | |||||||
| Ilyushin Il-76 indigenous conversionKPA Air Force | Airborne early warning and control | 1–1 | Soviet Union | 1974 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · ISR and electronic warfare aircraft | |||||||
| Tupolev Tu-143KPA Air Force | ISR and electronic warfare aircraft | held | Soviet Union | 1982 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · Trainer | |||||||
| Shenyang J-5 FT-5KPA Air Force | Trainer | 94–176 | China | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Shenyang FT-2KPA Air Force | Trainer | 21–39 | Soviet Union | 1949 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 UTIKPA Air Force | Trainer | 3–5 | Soviet Union | 1949 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · Transport aircraft | |||||||
| Antonov An-2KPA Air Force | Transport aircraft | 189–351 | Soviet Union | 1947 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| P-750 XSTOLKPA Air Force | Transport aircraft | 2–4 | New Zealand | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Antonov An-24KPA Air Force | Transport aircraft | 1–1 | Soviet Union | 1962 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · Transport and utility helicopter | |||||||
| MD Helicopters MD 500 DKPA Air Force | Transport and utility helicopter | 59–109 | United States | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Mil Mi-2 TKPA Air Force | Transport and utility helicopter | 34–62 | Soviet Union | 1965 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Z-5KPA Air Force | Transport and utility helicopter | 34–62 | China | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Mil Mi-8KPA Air Force | Transport and utility helicopter | 29–53 | Soviet Union | 1965 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Mil Mi-14KPA Air Force | Transport and utility helicopter | 6–10 | Soviet Union | 1977 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Mi-26 TKPA Air Force | Transport and utility helicopter | 3–5 | Soviet Union | 1985 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Air · ISR UAV | |||||||
| Yakovlev PchelaKPA Air Force | ISR UAV | 7–13 | Soviet Union | 1990 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | ||
| Saetbyol-4KPA Air Force | ISR UAV | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Saetbyol-9KPA Air Force | ISR UAV | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Space · ISR satellite | |||||||
| Malligyong-1KPA Air Force | ISR satellite | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Air Forcelow | |||
| Strategic · Intercontinental ballistic missile | |||||||
| Hwasong-14KPA Strategic Force | Intercontinental ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 2017 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-15KPA Strategic Force | Intercontinental ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 2017 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-17KPA Strategic Force | Intercontinental ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 2020 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-18KPA Strategic Force | Intercontinental ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Hwasong-19KPA Strategic Force | Intercontinental ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Strategic · Submarine-launched ballistic missile | |||||||
| Hwasong-11SKPA Strategic Force | Submarine-launched ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Strategic · Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile | |||||||
| Hwasong-12KPA Strategic Force | Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 2017 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-16BKPA Strategic Force | Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Hwasong-7KPA Strategic Force | Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 1995 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-9KPA Strategic Force | Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Pukguksong-2KPA Strategic Force | Intermediate and medium-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Strategic · Short-range ballistic missile | |||||||
| 2K6 LunaKPA Ground Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | Soviet Union | 1960 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| 9K52 Luna-MKPA Ground Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | Soviet Union | 1964 | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-11AKPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Hwasong-11BKPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Hwasong-11CKPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Hwasong-11DKPA Ground Force, KPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| Hwasong-5KPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 1985 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Hwasong-6KPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | 1989 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| KN-02KPA Ground Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: List of equipment of the Korean People's Army Ground Forcelow | |||
| KN-18KPA Strategic Force | Short-range ballistic missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Strategic · Land-attack cruise missile | |||||||
| Hwasal-1KPA Strategic Force | Land-attack cruise missile | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
| Hwasal-2KPA Strategic Force | Land-attack cruise missile | held | North Korea | 2021 | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | ||
| Strategic · Hypersonic | |||||||
| Hwasong-8KPA Strategic Force | Hypersonic | held | North Korea | Wikipedia: Korean People's Army Strategic Forcelow | |||
Suppliers
Origin nations by share of active platforms, the domestic bar first. Colours follow the origin highlight: domestic, allied or treaty partner, other foreign.
1,670
7,089
1,091
206
80
3
Sources for this nation
- wikipedia:korean-people-s-army-air-force
- wikipedia:korean-people-s-army-strategic-force
- wikipedia:list-of-active-ships-of-the-korean-people-s-navy
- wikipedia:list-of-equipment-of-the-korean-people-s-army-ground-force
Structure: ref/units/PRK.yaml, every body with the source that acknowledges it. See sources and methodology.