N. KOREA PLANS MASSIVE RETALIATION IN A WAR WITH THE US - Page 1
N. Korea Claims To Have The Military Power And The Political Will To Defeat The US

A somewhat disturbing article concerning the distinct possibility of a war between N. Korea and the US, needs to be read by all Americans. The article is written by a well qualified Han Ho Suk, the Director for the Center for Korean Affairs. The title of his article is "N. Korea Military Tactics In a War With The US." He emphasizes " a strategy of massive retaliation against the US." He claims that N. Korea has not only the military power but the political will to wage a war with the US. His claims are that the US has lost all our recent wars due to military incompetence and presidential interference.

The article is 15 pages long and is too lengthy to copy it in the entirety. The format I will use is to show excerpts from his entire story, and then make my comments. My first reading of this controversial article was that it was just another typical show of arrogance usually expected from N. Korea. After careful consideration I concluded that there is much truth in what he says, along with his boastful errors. So the following are the excerpts from his article. Although I find it offensive I have tried to be honest in my analysis of what he says.

ARTICLE CLAIMS BY HAN HO SUK

North Korea is one of the few nations that can engage in a total war with the United States.
US war planners recognize this fact. US Commanders admit that "N. Korea is the country most likely to involve the United States in a large-scale war. N. Korea, which can and is willing to face up to the sole military superpower of the world. N. Korea has not only the military power but political will to wage total war against the US. N. Korea has made it clear that it will strike all US targets with all their means, if the US mounted military attacks on N. Korea. N. Korea's threat is no bluff.

N. Korea's war plan in case of a US attack is total war, not the "low intensity limited warfare, or 'regional conflict' talked about among the Western analysts. N. Korea will mount a total war if attacked by the US. Total war is N. Korea's avowed strategy in case of US preemptive strikes. The US war on Iraq shows that the US can and will mount preemptive attacks in clear violation of international laws, and the United Nations is powerless to stop the US. Any nation that is weak militarily may be attacked by the US at will. It is only reasonable for N. Korea to deter US attacks with threats of total war.

North Korea's total war plan has two components: massive conventional warfare and weapons of mass destruction. If the US mounts a preemptive strike on N. Korea's Yongbyon nuclear plants, N. Korea will retaliate with weapons of mass destruction, and mount strategic nuclear attacks on the US targets. N. Korea's war plan is offensive in nature, and goes beyond repulsing US attackers and calls for complete destruction of the United States. N. Korea uses underground optical fibers for military communication and that which makes it impossible to plant human agents in N. Korea.

NORTH KOREA MILITARY WEAPONS

N. Korea has an annual production capacity for 200,000 AK automatic guns, 3,000 heavy guns, 200 battle tanks, 400 armored cars and amphibious crafts. N. Korea makes it's own submarines, landing crafts, high speed missile boats, and other types of warships. N. Korea has 17 plants for guns and artillery, 35 plants for ammunition, 5 plants for tanks and armored cars, 8 plants for airplanes, 5 plants for communication equipment, and 8 plants for biochemical warheads- 134 plants total. 180 plants are built underground in the rugged mountainous areas of Jagang-do. Several hydro- power plants serve these plants so that it would be nearly impossible for the US to cut off power to the plants.

The US commanders admit that N. Korean soldiers are highly motivated and loyal to Kim Jong Il, and will fight well in case of war. During the Iraq war just ended, the main cause of Iraq's defeat was the low moral of it's soldiers. Iraqi soldiers had no will to stand and fight, and they ran away or surrendered without a fight. N. Korean soldiers are taught to fight to the bitter end.

North Korea's regular consists of 4 corps in the front area, 8 corps in the rear area, one tank corps, 5 armored corps, 2 military corps, and one corps to defend Pyongyang. N. Korea has 80 divisions and brigades, compared to 19 for South Korea. N. Korea's militias consist of 1.6 million self defense units, 100,000 people's guards, 3.9 million workers militia, 900,000 youth guards all fully armed and well military trained.

North Korea has 2 artillery corps and 30 artillery brigades equipped with 120 mm self -propelled guns, 152 mm self propelled mortars, 170mm guns with a range of 50km, 240 mm multiple rocket launchers with a range of 45 km, plus other heavy guns. N. Korea has 18,000 heavy guns. Their 170mm Goksan gun and 240mm multiple-tube rocket launchers are the most powerful guns in the world. The big guns are hidden in caves. They can rain 500,000 conventional and biochemical shells per hour on US troops, who will be obliterated in a matter of hours. N. Korea has one tank corps and 15 tank brigades. The tank corps has 5 regiments, each with 4 heavy tank battalions, one light-tank battalion. One infantry battalion, and 2 self propelled artillery battalions. N. Korea's main battle tanks-T-62s- have 155mm guns and can travel 60km per hour.

N. Korea's anti-tank missiles are rated the best in the world. The US army in Korea relies on 72 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to kill N. Korean tanks. Apaches are very fragile and can easily be shot down even with rifles. N. Korea has over 15,000 shoulder- fired anti-air missiles. N. Korea has 700,000 troops, 8,000 heavy guns, and 2,000 tanks in more than 4,000 hardened bunkers.

UNDERGROUND TUNNEL WARFARE

N. Korea is the world's most tunneled nation. Tunnel entrances are built to withstand US chemical and biological attacks. Tunnels run zig-zag and have heavy seals, air purification units, and safe places for troops to rest. Twenty tunnels are near the DMZ. A large tunnel can transport 15,000 troops per hour and place them behind the US troops.

N. Korea has the largest special forces, 120,000, in the world. 25 brigades total, which will attack US military installations in Korea, Japan, Okinawa, and Guam.

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

N. Korea is a nuclear state and has operational fleets of ICBM and intermediate range missiles with nuclear warheads. It has over 1,000 missiles of various types in place. They are hidden in caves and underground launching pads. The US has no defense against N. Korean missiles, and in case of war several hundred thousand US troops will die, and scores of US bases and carrier battle groups will be destroyed.

N. Korea has a large stockpile of biological weapons. Each Army corps has a chemical company and each regiment has a chemical platoon. All key military facilities are built underground to withstand US bunker-buster bombs. They have 8,236 underground facilities that are linked by 547 km of tunnels. Most tunnels are drilled into granite rocks. The B-61 Mod 11 is the main bunker buster in the US arsenal. It can penetrate only 6 meters of rock, The GBU-28 laser guided bunker buster can penetrate to 30m. N. Korean bunkers have at least 80m of solid rock.

AIR DEFENSE

N. Korea has a large number of ground -to- air missiles. In addition to the missiles are 12,000 anti-aircraft guns including 37mm twin-barrel guns, 23mm automatics, 57mm,87mm and 100mm heavy guns, not subject to electronic warfare. US main defense against anti-ship missiles, the Arleigh Burke class Aegis are ineffective outside 20-50km from missile launch pads. The N. Korean navy will carry Russia's new anti-carrier missile that can destroy US carriers. A US carrier task force of Nimitz class has 6,000 men, 70 planes, and a price tag of 4.5 billion. Destroying even a single carrier would be traumatic. In addition N. Korea has 35 submarines equipped with torpedoes to attack the carriers. N. Korea has 770 fighters, 80 bombers, 700 transports, 290 helicopters, and 84,000 men, most hidden in underground caves. When war breaks out, N. Korean missiles and rockets will destroy the 8 US airbases in S. Korea.

N. Korea MIG fighters have the upper hand in close range dogfights. F-15s will be easy targets for the MIGs

N. Korea trains about 100 computer hackers a year, capable of interrupting US communications

It is true that advanced weapons were instrumental in the US victory in the Gulf War, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. On the other hand the US was defeated by ill-equipped foes in Korea and Vietnam. Chinese forces in Korea and Vietnam fought with superior tactics and stronger fighting spirits.

In the next war in Korea, the US army will face an enemy much more determined and better equipped than the army in the Korean War of 1950-53.

These statements are only a few contained in the 15 page report by Han Ho Suk. My analysis of his claims follows.

NORTH KOREA MILITARY PARADE

I was impressed with the large amount of technical information which is always kept secret. I read this article several times and I have a big problem. About 90 per cent is without any proof and is the sole writing of one individual. Under these circumstances it is difficult to form an authoritative opinion. North Korea is notoriously secretive concerning anything happening in their country. This article contains an abundance of interesting reports of North Korea's capabilities in case of war. The figures are all there along with the usual arrogant claims. He covers it all: numbers of troops, tunnels, missiles, and threats against The United States. It is actually an encyclopedia on the entire subject of military preparedness, and we must assume his figures are all correct.

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