Military power of North Korea & South Korea
North Korea vs South Korea
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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 militarySouth Korea is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 100,210 km2 (land boundries: 237 km and costline 2,413 km). The capital of South Korea is Seoul. The number of inhabitants is 51,709,098.
US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of South Korea’s security. The Treaty gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in the territory of South Korea. The USA maintained approximately 28,000 military personnel in the country. South Korea has been engaged with NATO through dialogue and security cooperation since 2005 and is considered by NATO to be a global partner. The South Korean military is equipped with a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems. The top foreign weapons supplier is the United States and some domestically-produced systems are built under US license.
More about South Korea militaryIf you want to check the comparison in terms of economic ratios check out CompareEconomy.com
Military expenditures
 KP |  KR | |
|---|---|---|
| Military budget: | 1.6 billion $ | 50.2 billion $ |
| Percent of GDP: | 4.9% | 2.8% |
Manpower
| KP | KR | |
|---|---|---|
| Active personnel: | 1,280,000 | 555,000 |
| Reserve personnel: | 600,000 | 2,750,000 |
| Available for military: | 6,515,279 | 13,185,794 |
Land Forces
| KP | KR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanks: | 6,000 | 2,606 | |
| Armoured fighting vehicles: | 4,000 | 4,380 | |
| Total artillery: | 13,000 | 7,468 | |
| Self-propelled artillery: | 4,500 | 3,040 | |
| Rocket artillery: | 4,000 | 574 |
Air Forces
| KP | KR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total aircraft: | 960 | 1,585 | |
| Fighter aircraft: | 349 | 156 | |
| Multirole aircraft: | 35 | 371 | |
| Attack aircraft: | 188 | 0 | |
| Helicopters: | 202 | 757 | |
| UCAV (combat drone): | 0 | 0 |
Navy
| KP | KR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total naval: | 967 | 195 | |
| Aircraftcarriers: | 0 | 2 | |
| Destroyers: | 0 | 12 | |
| Frigates: | 2 | 18 | |
| Corvettes: | 8 | 11 | |
| Submarines: | 72 | 22 |
☢ 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.
South Korea
Does not have nuclear weapons.
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.
South Korea
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; minimum conscript service obligation - 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; HIV-positive individuals are exempt from military service.