Understanding the North Korean Military Threat to the Security of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia: Declined or Evolved?

There has been a debate in recent years about the threat that North Korea poses. This paper addresses that question by conducting analysis on all of Pyongyang’s conventional and missile forces. First it examines the command and control of the military, and the role the military plays in government. It will also examine the disposition of forces of Pyongyang’s military forces and why this poses a threat to South Korea and the region. Finally, a study is made on how conventional and missile forces have been reorganized in recent years in order to pose a more credible threat to the ROK-U.S. alliance. It is apparent based on the evidence discussed, that despite the primitive state of many of North Korea’s systems compared to the United States and South Korea, Pyongyang has adjusted by developing asymmetric capabilities, and by massing key forces in forward positions from which they could be launched with little or no warning.