FAS

History of the North Korean Army (1952)

04.06.10 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

The origins and development of North Korea’s military forces, from the vantage point of 1952, are described in a declassified U.S. Army intelligence report (large pdf).

“Although the North Korean Army was not officially activated until 8 February 1948, the backbone of the armed forces was forged in 1946 under the mask of Central Peace Preservation Units and Youth Training Organizations. Using battle-hardened Korean veterans of the Chinese Communist Forces as a core, the puppet government built a modern military force whose only glaring weakness was in a lack of air power. The striking comparison in organization, logistics and tactics of the North Korean Army with those of the Soviet ground forces is attributable to the influence of the Soviet occupation army and the multitude of advisors which were left behind upon the Red Army’s withdrawal.”

A digital copy of the report was made available by the Combined Arms Research Library at Fort Leavenworth, KS.  See “History of the North Korean Army,” U.S. Army Far East Command, July 31, 1952.

publications
See all publications
Global Risk
Press release
Nuclear Notebook: Russian Nuclear Weapons 2025 Federation of American Scientists Unveils Comprehensive Analysis of Russia’s Nuclear Arsenal

Russia currently maintains nearly 5,460 nuclear warheads, with an estimated 1,718 deployed. This represents a slight decrease in total warheads from previous years but still positions Russia as the world’s largest nuclear power alongside the United States.

05.13.25 | 3 min read
read more
Clean Energy
Blog
AI, Energy, and Climate: What’s at Stake? Hint: A lot.

The stakes are high: how we manage this convergence will influence not only the pace of technological innovation but also the equity and sustainability of our energy future.

05.12.25 | 6 min read
read more
Government Capacity
Blog
Bridging Innovation and Expertise: Connecting Federal Talent to America’s Tech Ecosystems

We’re launching an initiative to connect scientists, engineers, technologists, and other professionals who recently departed federal service with emerging innovation ecosystems across the country that need their expertise.

05.09.25 | 5 min read
read more
Environment
Press release
The Federation of American Scientists Joins Coalition to Prepare for and Prevent Wildfires

With wildfire risk increasing and the potential for destruction along with it continues to grow nationwide, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) today joins with other organizations to launch a new coalition, Partners in Wildfire Prevention.

05.07.25 | 3 min read
read more