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Military power of North Korea & BRICS

North Korea vs BRICS

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North Korea BRICS

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 military

BRICS (acronym - Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Bilateral relations among BRICS are conducted mainly on the basis of non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit. The BRICS nations are considered a geopolitical rival to the G7 bloc.

On August 24, 2023, the expansion of the group on January 1, 2024 was announced to include Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. On 29 December 2023 the Government of Argentina officially announce that Argentina will not join the BRICS. This is due to the change of president to Javier Milei.

If you want to check the comparison in terms of economic ratios check out CompareEconomy.com

Military expenditures

Military budget

2 billion $

642.8 billion $

Percent of GDP

5 %

0 %

Manpower

Active personnel

1,320,000

6,345,000

Reserve personnel

600,000

7,754,000

Available for military

6,515,279

992,083,395

Land Forces

Tanks

5,144

30,277

Armoured fighting vehicles

4,000

72,901

Total artillery

13,000

40,650

Self-propelled artillery

4,000

12,316

Rocket artillery

4,000

11,343

Air Forces

Total aircraft

965

15,826

Fighter

349

1,484

Multirole

35

2,830

Attack

192

1,330

Helicopters

205

5,511

UCAV (combat drone)

0

393

Navy

Total naval

723

2,809

Aircraft carriers

0

12

Destroyers

0

77

Frigates

2

105

Corvettes

9

215

Submarines

98

194

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.

BRICS

Data not available

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.

BRICS

Data not available