Defense industry of North Korea
North Korea's defence industry predates the Korean War, but has emerged as a major supplier to the North Korean armed forces beginning in the 1970s,[1] but increasingly so after the fall of the Soviet Union and to supplement those purchased from China.[1] Most equipment produced are copies of Soviet and Chinese built military hardware.
Military factories
| Enterprise | Location | Coordinates | Additional information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 26 Factory | Kanggye | Kanggye General Tractor Factory | |||||||
| No. 38 Factory | Huichon | Huichon General Machinery Tool Factory | |||||||
| No. 65 Factory | Hakmu, Jonchon | Jonchon 2.8 Machinery Factory | |||||||
| Pyorha-ri Armament Factory | Songgan | ||||||||
| No. 301 Factory | Suwon-ri, Taegwan | ||||||||
| Kusong Machine Tool Factory | Kusong | 40°03′11″N 125°12′06″E / 40.053°N 125.2018°E | |||||||
| Sungni Automobile Factory | Tokchon | ||||||||
| January 18 Machine Factory | Kagam-dong, Kaechon | ||||||||
| Kumsong Tractor Factory | Nampho | ||||||||
| Thaesong Machine Factory | Nampho | Nampho Chamjin Munitions Factory | |||||||
| No. 125 Factory | Pyongyang | Pyongyang Pig Farm | |||||||
| No. 7 Factory | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Pyongyang Weak-Current Apparatus Factory | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Mangyongdae Weak-Current Apparatus Factory | Pyongyang | Pyongyang Pigeon Farm | |||||||
| Pyongyang Semiconductor Factory | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Sanum-dong Research Center | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Hamhung Chemical Materials Research Center | Hamhung | ||||||||
| Sariwon Weapons Factory | Sariwon | ||||||||
| Sinuiju Measuring Instrument Factory | Sinuiju | 40°04′09″N 124°26′21″E / 40.06928°N 124.43914°E | |||||||
| No. 81 Factory | Songgan | Songgan Steel Mill | |||||||
| March 16 Factory | Pyongsong | Pyongnam Machine Factory | |||||||
| References: [2][3] | |||||||||
Tanks, arms, and missiles
- First Machine Industry Bureau - supplier of machine guns, likely Type 62 Light Machine Gun and Type 73 Light Machine Gun[4]
- Ryu Kyong-su Tank Factory - Sinhung South Hamgyong Province[5]
- Second Machine Industry Bureau - Sŏngch'ŏn-kun, South Pyongan Province - builds Chonma-ho and Pokpung-ho MBT; likely Chuch'e-Po and Koksan artillery gun
- Third Machine Industry Bureau: Multi-stage rockets
- Fourth Machine Industry Bureau: Guided missiles
- Fifth Machine Industry Bureau: Nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons
- Tokhyon Munitions Plant[6]
Naval
- Bong Dao Bo Shipyards, Sinpo - located on the mainland across from Mayang-do Naval base - builder of the Sang-O and Gorae class Submarines.[7]
- Mayang-do Naval Shipyards, Mayang-do Island in northeast coast - maintenance facility with graving dock; has built some ships for the navy (12 Romeo class submarines)
- Najin Shipyards - Kowan-Class submarine rescue ship, Soho class frigates and Najin class frigates
- Nampho Shipyards - located on west coast and builds small- and medium-size submarines (Sang-O and Yugo?)
- Wonsan Shipyards - located on east coast and builds small- and medium-size submarines (Sang-O and Yugo?)
- Yukdaeso-ri Shipyards - located on west coast and has built midget submarines (Yugo-class submarines or Yono-class submarines) since the 1960s
- Sixth Machine Industry Bureau: Battleships and submarines
Aircraft
There are no known indigenous aircraft built in North Korea, factories supply components or parts for current aircraft flown such as for Tumansky RD-9 turbojet engine used by Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 and Shenyang J-6.[8]
Another is additional sub systems for aircraft such as Tactical air navigation system that for example were known to be exported to Syria.[9]
- Ch’onjin - small factory used to build spare parts and rebuild aircraft for the Air Force.[10]
- Taechon - used to build spare parts and rebuild aircraft for the Air Force.[10]
- Panghyon - North Korea's primary aircraft assembly, repair and research facility established in the mid-1980s.[11][12]
- Seventh Machine Industry Bureau: Production and purchase of war planes
Space
References
- ^ a b John Pike. "Korean People's Army - Equipment Introduction". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
- ^ "North Korean Munitions Factories: The Other Side of Arms Transfers to Russia add in North Korea Defense Industry". 38 North. 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
- ^ Zwirko, Colin (2024-07-26). "North Korea expands factories making anti-tank missiles Russia reportedly wants". NK News. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ Bermudez Jr., p. 50.
- ^ "Asia Times". Atimes.com. 2002-07-06. Archived from the original on 2002-08-03. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Air Force". Fas.org. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
- ^ Cook, Damen. "North Korea's Most Important Submarine Base". The Diplomat. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ^ 군사세계, 유용원의. "북한의 무인기 MM-1". 유용원의 군사세계. Retrieved Nov 28, 2022.
- ^ "Flying under the radar - Syria's 'Special Purpose' Mi-17s". Retrieved Nov 28, 2022.
- ^ a b "North Korea AF Narrative History". Aeroflight. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ Bermudez Jr, Joseph S. (2001). The armed forces of North Korea. London: I.B. Tauris. pp. 156–160. ISBN 1860645003.
- ^ "North Korea's Hwasong-14 Missile Launch Site Identified: The Panghyon Aircraft Factory | 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea". 38 North. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
Bibliography
- Bermudez Jr., Joseph S. (2001). The Armed Forces of North Korea. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 1-86064-486-4.