World Military Power
සිං தமி EN

Korea, Dem. People's Rep.

East Asia & Pacific · Pyongyang

Rank #6 of 173

79.4Strength score

Photos

North Korea - Army and women soldiers (5015260495)
North Korea - Army and women soldiers (5015260495)Roman Harak · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
North Korean Navy ship
North Korean Navy shipUnknown (U.S. Navy?) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
F-51 in Puddle, Korean War
F-51 in Puddle, Korean WarUnited States Air Force · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Strength by area

  • Finance77
  • Air power74
  • Manpower100
  • Land forces95
  • Naval power77
  • Nuclear48

Finance

Defence budget
$1.6B #74
Budget as % of GDP
—
Spending per person
$60 #101
GDP
—
Population
26,571,036 #56

Manpower

Active personnel
1,280,000 #4
Reserve personnel
600,000 #7
Paramilitary
5,889,000 #1
Total personnel
7,769,000 #1

Land forces

Tanks
4,895 #3
Armoured vehicles
—
Self-propelled artillery
1,300 #5
Towed artillery
700 #13
Rocket launchers (MLRS)
1,500 #5

Air power

Total aircraft
837 #12
Fighter jets
341 #7
Attack aircraft & bombers
114 #5
Transport aircraft
1 #49
Helicopters
205 #24
Attack helicopters
20 #17

Naval power

Total naval vessels
263 #4
Aircraft carriers
0
Helicopter carriers
0
Submarines
24 #5
Destroyers
2 #13
Frigates
2 #36
Corvettes
8 #11
Patrol vessels
227 #4

Nuclear

Nuclear warheads
60 #9

Weapons Korea, Dem. People's Rep. uses (21)

See all →
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19Fighter aircraft Type 59Type 59Main battle tanks Shenyang J-6Shenyang J-6Fighter aircraft Type 62Type 62Light tanks La-9La-9Fighter aircraft Lavochkin La-11Lavochkin La-11Fighter aircraft KS-1 KometKS-1 KometAnti-ship missiles T-34/85T-34/85Other tanks Hwasong-13Hwasong-13Intercontinental ballistic missiles Sariwon-class corvetteSariwon-class corvetteCorvettes Nampo-class corvetteNampo-class corvetteCorvettes Hwasong-15Intercontinental ballistic missiles

Weapons made in Korea, Dem. People's Rep. (28)

See all →
Chonma-hoChonma-hoMain battle tanks Hwasong-13Hwasong-13Intercontinental ballistic missiles Type 73 light machine gunType 73 light machine gunMachine guns Type 58 assault rifleType 58 assault rifleAssault rifles Type 68Type 68Pistols Nampo-class corvetteNampo-class corvetteCorvettes Sariwon-class corvetteSariwon-class corvetteCorvettes KajamiKajamiFast attack craft PeykaapPeykaapPatrol vessels IPS-18IPS-18Fast attack craft BM-11BM-11Multiple rocket launchers North Korean Type 64 pistolNorth Korean Type 64 pistolPistols

Others in the region

  1. 3China93.9 VS
  2. 7Korea, Rep.77.9 VS
  3. 11Japan73.7 VS
  4. 17Viet Nam69.4 VS
  5. 22Thailand67.5 VS
  6. 23Indonesia67.4 VS
  7. 25Myanmar66.4 VS
  8. 26Singapore65.8 VS

Source

Budget, GDP, population and personnel: World Bank open data (SIPRI / IISS based). (Defence budget: 2018)

IISS Military Balance via Wikipedia (personnel); Global Firepower 2026 inventory lists (equipment); FAS Status of World Nuclear Forces 2026 (warheads) · Year 2026 · ↗