A tank attached to the 105th Guards Seoul Ryu Kyong-Su Armored Division — one of the North Korean army’s most illustrious units — recently flipped over during maneuver training.
According to a Daily NK source last Thursday, the accident occurred during the first maneuver training of the new year. North Korean mechanized units usually carry out such exercises during the winter and summer seasons.
During nighttime mountain maneuver training, one tank flipped over at a mountain bend. Two tankers suffered serious injuries and the damaged tank immediately underwent repairs.
The accident was then reported up the chain of command, and as it was the first accident of the year, the General Staff Department immediately formed an inspection team to send to the accident site.
The source said the inspection team concluded that the tank tumbled down the hillside because of inexperienced drivers. The inspectors ignored the fact that commanders had ordered an unreasonable exercise on steep terrain, he added.
North Korean mechanized units regularly suffer flip overs in training every year, including during maneuver training.
However, given how several generations of North Korean leaders have praised the 105th Guards Seoul Ryu Kyong-Su Armored Division’s combat strength, military authorities are keeping the accident under tight wraps.
The military has reportedly gone into “crisis mode” given that such a major accident took place just ahead of the 110th birthday of national founder Kim Il Sung and 80th birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il. The source said the unit’s cadres will likely face punishment over the accident.
The 105th Guards Seoul Ryu Kyong-Su Armored Division is considered North Korea’s first armored unit. North Korean authorities have apparently used the unit identification since the Korean War, when the division took part in the capture of Seoul.
