The North Korean military has reportedly begun moves to bolster anti-air defenses in certain regions.
According to multiple Daily NK sources in the North Korean military on Friday, the General Staff Department issued an order on Feb. 9 and 10 to the staff departments of relevant units in Gangwon and Chagang provinces, respectively, calling for inspections and reorganizations of anti-aircraft units and changes in their services and deployments “in accordance with the strategic intentions of the Supreme Command.”
A military source in Chagang Province said unit staff departments received the General Staff Department order on Feb. 10. He said the order concerned the armed personnel of certain anti-air units, reorganization of formations, general inspections of the units’ firepower, and reinforcements and movements of personnel and weaponry based on those inspections.
A military source in Gangwon Province also said the staff departments of relevant units received a General Staff Department order on Feb. 9 pushing efforts to bolster the firepower of major anti-air units.
Bolstering fighting strength by inspecting the anti-air weapons of certain units while reorganizing parent services and formations, the order appears linked to incremental efforts to adopt a war preparation footing focused on new weaponry produced under the five-year weapon development plan, which was presented during the Eighth Party Congress in 2021.
The key points of the order are:
- A review of the firepower of anti-aircraft units (Ministry of Defense’s Weapons Bureau)
- Determining new combat organizations (Supreme Command and General Staff Department)
- Finalizing weapon outlays for the new combat organizations (General Staff Department and Ministry of Defense’s Weapons Bureau)
- Reorganizing parent services and formations (Supreme Command, General Staff Department, Manpower Supply Bureau, Cadre Bureau)
Another high-ranking source in the North Korean military said the order deploys new anti-air units to protect major military zones in Chagang Province, where North Korea’s strategic forces are concentrated. It also bolsters the anti-air defenses of Wonsan, Gangwon Province, including the islands of the Kalma Peninsula such as Ryodo, Sindo, Sodo and Taedo.
He added that, ultimately, the order aims to strengthen the anti-air capabilities of Chagang Province, a special zone for the country’s strategic forces, and Gangwon Province, where North Korea’s frontline Kalma Airfield is located.
Accordingly, anti-air units in Chagang Province — formerly under Army command — will come under the command of the Strategic Force, and establish a combat readiness system corresponding to the units’ new formations. The source said in the case of Gangwon Province, however, anti-air units will only be enlarged while remaining with their parent service.
Meanwhile, North Koreans are apparently talking about moves to bolster troop strength on the major islands of Wonsan’s Kalma Peninsula. They speculate that the military might have felt it necessary to bolster manpower to defend the country’s leadership.
North Korea’s leaders, including top leader Kim Jong Un, have villas in Wonsan.
In fact, the source said people say that because top leaders frequent Wonsan, home to many villas and resorts, the military is taking pains to pack the area with anti-air units with modern weaponry.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
