Military power of North Korea & France
North Korea vs France
Show map
North Korea is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 120,540 km2 (land boundries: 1,607 km and costline 2,495 km). The capital of North Korea is Pyongyang. The number of inhabitants is 25,549,604.
The KPA is equipped with older weapon systems originally acquired from the former Soviet Union, Russia, and China, as well as some domestically-produced equipment. The North Korea produces a diverse array of military hardware like light armored vehicles, tanks, naval vessels and submarines, and advanced weapons systems, such as ballistic missiles. North Korea developing also nuclear weapons.
More about North Korea militaryFrance is a country located in
metropolitan France: Western Europe with an area of 640,679 km2 (land boundries: 3,956 km and costline 4,853 km
metropolitan France:>3,427 km). The capital of France is Paris. The number of inhabitants is 67,413,000.
France was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty, which created NATO in 1949. France and the UK signed in 2010 a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force. The CJEF was assessed as having full operating capacity with the ability to rapidly deploy over 10,000 personnel. The French military's inventory consists mostly of domestically-produced weapons systems, including some jointly-produced with other European countries. France has a defense industry capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of military weapons systems.
More about France militaryIf you want to check the comparison in terms of economic ratios check out CompareEconomy.com
Military expenditures
 KP |  FR | |
|---|---|---|
| Military budget: | 1.6 billion $ | 54 billion $ |
| Percent of GDP: | 4.9% | 1.7% |
Manpower
| KP | FR | |
|---|---|---|
| Active personnel: | 1,280,000 | 208,750 |
| Reserve personnel: | 600,000 | 141,050 |
| Available for military: | 6,515,279 | 14,563,662 |
Land Forces
| KP | FR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanks: | 6,000 | 406 | |
| Armoured fighting vehicles: | 4,000 | 6,463 | |
| Total artillery: | 13,000 | 134 | |
| Self-propelled artillery: | 4,500 | 109 | |
| Rocket artillery: | 4,000 | 13 |
Air Forces
| KP | FR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total aircraft: | 960 | 1,253 | |
| Fighter aircraft: | 349 | 56 | |
| Multirole aircraft: | 35 | 146 | |
| Attack aircraft: | 188 | 86 | |
| Helicopters: | 202 | 540 | |
| UCAV (combat drone): | 0 | 12 |
Navy
| KP | FR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total naval: | 967 | 111 | |
| Aircraftcarriers: | 0 | 4 | |
| Destroyers: | 0 | 11 | |
| Frigates: | 2 | 11 | |
| Corvettes: | 8 | 0 | |
| Submarines: | 72 | 10 |
☢ Nuclear weapons
North Korea
Although at the beginning North Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, they withdrew from it on January 2003. It was a consequence of the United States accusation. The USA government claimed that North Korea was unofficially funding a program of uranium enrichment. Because of that, they cancelled the 1994 Agreed Framework treaty and cut off the energy assistance. Two years after withdrawing, the officials from North Korea claimed that they own operational nuclear arsenal. In spite of North Koreans assurances, the United States did not believe that North Korea really posses such weapons. As a result, the government of North Korea decided to conduct tests.
There were three tests that North Korea initially conducted. The first one, with the yield of less than a kiloton, took place in 2006. However, to show that this was in fact a nuclear detonation, North Koreans conducted second and third tests, respectable in 2009 and 2013. The maximum power of the blast of the aforementioned tests can be estimated to be up to 40 kilotons. However, a lot of sources claim that yield did not surpass 10-15 kilotons. Noteworthy is also the fact that in 2016, North Korea announced that they have conducted their first hydrogen-bomb test.
France
France managed to research and develop its own nuclear weapon in 1960. The test, known as, Gerboise Bleue, was the result of mostly French research. One of the main figures that played crucial role in the entire process of developing the bomb was General Pierre Marie Gallois. He was concerned that the Suez Crisis, which started in 1956, would show the world how insignificant France became, since out of all Great Powers in the world, they were the only one without possessing its own nuclear arsenal. The tests were conducted on the terrains of Sahara Desert.
At this moment France owns 300 nuclear warheads, out of which almost all are deployed. What is more, compared to Great Britain, they made more tests, approximately 210. Noteworthy is the fact that the development of the first nuclear bomb in France as well as its tests were a bit controversial. It was due to the fact that France allowed Israeli observers to attend the tests, providing them with almost unrestricted access to all the data. It was quite important, since Israel, together with United Kingdom and France, were trying to invade Egypt.
Military service
North Korea
18 is presumed to be the legal minimum age for compulsory military service; 16-17 is the presumed legal minimum age for voluntary service.
France
18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; 1-year service obligation; women serve in noncombat post.