{"id":51492,"date":"2022-04-29T16:07:49","date_gmt":"2022-04-29T07:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/?p=51492"},"modified":"2026-04-05T15:50:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T06:50:58","slug":"north-korea-decides-not-to-discharge-strategic-rocket-force-enlisted-personnel-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/north-korea-decides-not-to-discharge-strategic-rocket-force-enlisted-personnel-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"N. Korea decides not to discharge the Strategic Rocket Force’s enlisted personnel this year"},"content":{"rendered":"

North Korean authorities have made the unprecedented decision not to discharge enlisted military personnel affiliated with the Korean People’s Army Strategic Rocket Force this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Strategic Rocket Force operates the country\u2019s arsenal of ICBMs and SLBMs.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the measure reflects the government\u2019s belief that it needs more personnel for the Strategic Rocket Force, which plays a central role in national defense, it suggests that North Korea plans to deploy a significant number of strategic weapons this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

A source in Chagang Province told Daily NK on Thursday that the personnel department of the Strategic Rocket Force has decided not to issue regular discharge orders for enlisted soldiers in the spring and fall, a decision approved by superior commanders. He said this is the first time since its founding that the unit will skip a year of discharges.<\/span><\/p>\n

North Korea\u2019s military manpower bureau conducts regular discharges in spring (February to April) and autumn (August to October), timed with regular drafts in spring (April to May) and autumn (August to September).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the Strategic Rocket Force reportedly had no problem enlisting new personnel last August and this spring, meaning the unit is growing in personnel. North Korea has also conducted mass recruitments of graduates of two-year IT schools into the Strategic Rocket Force over the last two years.<\/span><\/p>\n

The source said the decision not to discharge enlisted personnel this year at least partly aims to fill out the sharply growing number of new units in the force.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This demonstrates that North Korea plans to bolster the Strategic Rocket Force and the country’s asymmetrical firepower, including nuclear weapons, and reinforce them with a corresponding number of technical personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Eighth Party Congress held in January of last year, North Korea presented the following major national defense tasks:<\/span><\/p>\n