Defense industry of North Korea
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North Korea's defence industry predates the Korean War, but has emerged as a major supplier to the North Korean armed forces beginning in the 1970s,[1] but increasingly so after the fall of the Soviet Union and to supplement those purchased from China.[1] Most equipment produced are copies of Soviet and Chinese built military hardware. During peacetime it is estimated that munitions factories can produce 2 million artillery shells annually for the 152mm caliber howitzer.[2]
Military factories
| Enterprise | Location | Coordinates | Additional information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 26 Factory | Kanggye | Kanggye General Tractor Factory | |||||||
| No. 38 Factory | Huichon | Huichon General Machinery Tool Factory | |||||||
| No. 65 Factory | Hakmu, Jonchon | 40.6301°N 126.4309°E | Jonchon 2.8 Machinery Factory | ||||||
| Pyorha-ri Armament Factory | Songgan | ||||||||
| No. 301 Factory | Suwon-ri, Taegwan | 40.2347°N 125.2459°E | |||||||
| Kusong Machine Tool Factory | Kusong | 40.053°N 125.2018°E | |||||||
| Sungni Automobile Factory | Tokchon | ||||||||
| January 18 Machine Factory | Kagam-dong, Kaechon | ||||||||
| Kumsong Tractor Factory | Nampho | ||||||||
| Thaesong Machine Factory | Nampho | Nampho Chamjin Munitions Factory | |||||||
| No. 125 Factory | Pyongyang | Pyongyang Pig Farm | |||||||
| No. 7 Factory | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Pyongyang Weak-Current Apparatus Factory | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Mangyongdae Weak-Current Apparatus Factory | Pyongyang | Pyongyang Pigeon Farm | |||||||
| Pyongyang Semiconductor Factory | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| Sanum-dong Research Center | Pyongyang | ||||||||
| October 3 Plant[3] | Munchon | 39°18′51″N 127°25′15″E | Munchon Naval Base[4] | ||||||
| February 11 Plant[5][6] | Hamhung | 39°55′18″N 127°39′33″E | |||||||
| Hamhung Chemical Materials Research Center | Hamhung | ||||||||
| Sariwon Weapons Factory | Sariwon | ||||||||
| Sinuiju Measuring Instrument Factory | Sinuiju | 40.06928°N 124.43914°E | |||||||
| No. 81 Factory | Songgan | Songgan Steel Mill | |||||||
| March 16 Factory | Pyongsong | Pyongnam Machine Factory | |||||||
| References: [7][8] | |||||||||
Tanks, arms, and missiles
- First Machine Industry Bureau - supplier of machine guns, likely Type 62 Light Machine Gun and Type 73 Light Machine Gun[9]
- Ryu Kyong-su Tank Factory - Sinhung South Hamgyong Province[10]
- Second Machine Industry Bureau - Sŏngch'ŏn-kun, South Pyongan Province - builds Chonma-ho and Pokpung-ho MBT; likely Chuch'e-Po and Koksan artillery gun
- Third Machine Industry Bureau: Multi-stage rockets
- Fourth Machine Industry Bureau: Guided missiles
- Fifth Machine Industry Bureau: Nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons
- Tokhyon Munitions Plant[11]
Naval
- Bong Dao Bo Shipyards, Sinpo - located on the mainland across from Mayang-do Naval base - builder of the Sang-O and Gorae class Submarines.[12]
- Mayang-do Naval Shipyards, Mayang-do Island in northeast coast - maintenance facility with graving dock; has built some ships for the navy (12 Romeo class submarines)
- Najin Shipyards - Kowan-Class submarine rescue ship, Soho class frigates and Najin class frigates
- Nampho Shipyards - located on west coast and builds small- and medium-size submarines (Sang-O and Yugo?)
- Wonsan Shipyards - located on east coast and builds small- and medium-size submarines (Sang-O and Yugo?)
- Yukdaeso-ri Shipyards - located on west coast and has built midget submarines (Yugo-class submarines or Yono-class submarines) since the 1960s
- Sixth Machine Industry Bureau: Battleships and submarines
Aircraft
There are no known indigenous aircraft built in North Korea, factories supply components or parts for current aircraft flown such as for Tumansky RD-9 turbojet engine used by Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 and Shenyang J-6.[13] Agreement between China and North Korea was reached in August of 1974 to construct maintenance facility for J-6 fighter jets, completion was not achieved until 1987 due to North Korea requesting for facility to also maintain J-5 and J-7. Capacity of the facility involving J-6 is to service 50 aircraft and 400 of WP-6 engines along manufacture common spare parts, also includes special tools and molds.[14]
Another is additional sub systems for aircraft such as Tactical air navigation system that for example were known to be exported to Syria.[15]
- Ch’onjin - small factory used to build spare parts and rebuild aircraft for the Air Force.[16]
- Taechon - used to build spare parts and rebuild aircraft for the Air Force.[16]
- Panghyon - North Korea's primary aircraft assembly, repair and research facility established in the mid-1980s.[17][18]
- Seventh Machine Industry Bureau: Production and purchase of war planes
