Rare photos show life inside North Korea's top-secret military

Nina Godlewski,Talia LakritzMay 29, 2024, 04:13 IST

A North Korean woman and soldiers near the North Korean town of Sinuiju.REUTERS/Jason Lee

North Korea's military, the fourth-largest in the world, remains shrouded in mystery.
Both men and women are required to serve in the military in North Korea.

Little is known about life inside the "hermit kingdom" of North Korea. Even less is known about the country's military — the fourth-largest in the world behind China, India, and the United States, according to World Population Review.

It remains extremely difficult to get past the border, but photos can provide a glimpse into the insular, militarized country.

Rare photos of North Korea's military reveal a snapshot of life as a soldier in North Korea.

This story was originally published in May 2016. It was updated in May 2024.

North Korea and South Korea were split after the Korean War, which began in 1950 when 75,000 soldiers from the North crossed the border and invaded the South.

North Korean and Chinese troops celebrate their shared victory in South Korea after driving back American forces in 1950.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

The war ended in 1953 with an armistice dividing the country along the 38th parallel, with the Soviet Union controlling the North and the UN controlling the South.

Kim Il Sung signs the Korean Armistice Agreement.Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Korean Armistice Agreement also established a Demilitarized Zone on the border, which remains one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world.

South Korean, right, and North Korean army soldiers stand guard at the border village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas.Ahn Young-joon/AP

The Soviet Union put Kim Il Sung in charge of North Korea, which became known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim Il Sung.Edoardo Fornaciari/Getty Images

His son, Kim Jong Il, took over after his death in 1994.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il meets with Korean People's Army personnel.AFP via Getty Images

Kim Jong Un then took over as the ruler of the country in December 2011, when his father and the former leader, Kim Jong Il, died of a heart attack.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gestures as he guides a military demonstration involving tank units in North Korea.KCNA via Reuters

Despite being in charge of the fourth-largest military in the world, Un has no formal military training.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un peers through a pair of binoculars during a military demonstration in North Korea.KCNA via Reuters

North Korea's military is called the "Korean People's Army," or the KPA.

Senior North Korean military officers.Damir Sagolj/Reuters

The North Korean military is composed of more than 1.3 million active soldiers, according to a 2021 report published by the US Defense Intelligence Agency.

A North Korean military parade.KCNA/Reuters

There are another 7 million paramilitary, reserve, and bodyguard command personnel.

North Korean soldiers salute from atop tanks during a military parade in Pyongyang.Petar Kujundzic/Reuters

Most people serve in the military after completing high school.

North Korean soldiers.Damir Sagolj/Reuters

Men serve for 10 years and women for seven, a North Korean defector told NK News, The Guardian reported in 2015.

North Korean soldiers do push-ups on the banks of the Yalu River in the North Korean town of Sinuiju.Stringer/Reuters

Before 2015, women served purely on a voluntary basis.

Women in the Korean People's Army.REUTERS/Jason Lee

In 2015, it became mandatory for all women to serve in the military.

A North Korean soldier guards an army installation near the Chinese border.Reinhard Krause/Reuters

Those who go to college serve for five years after completing their degree, the defector told NK News.

Korean People's Army soldiers hold flowers as they pay their respects before a statue of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on the anniversary of his death.KIM WON JIN/AFP via Getty Images

Kim Jong Un established a policy in 2015 allowing those who study science to serve for only three years.

North Korean soldiers ride motorcycles during a military parade.Damir Sagolj/Reuters

While data from North Korea remains unreliable, its defense industry employs an estimated 2 million workers, according to a 2008 census cited by 38 North.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un poses with soldiers as he inspects a tank unit of the Korean People's Army.KCNA via Reuters

Most motor vehicles are owned by military or government officials. Restrictions on car ownership mean it's rare for private citizens to own them.

A North Korean military parade.KCNA/Reuters

Soldiers in the military have reportedly faced malnourishment and hunger because of a lack of food availability and rigorous training.

A North Korean soldier herds goats on the banks of the Yalu River.Jacky Chen/Reuters

KPA's Air Force is its second-largest branch with around 110,000 members.

Kim Jong Un visits the Korean People's Army Air Force headquarters.KCNA via Reuters

The US Department of Defense reports that North Korea's Air Force has somewhere between 500 and 900 aircraft, though most are outdated vessels from the 1990s.

Kim Jong Un watches planes during a flypast in Pyongyang, North Korea.KCNA via Reuters

The North Korean military is also believed to have 260 amphibious landing craft in its naval force.

Landing and anti-landing exercises by the Korean People's Army at an unknown location.KCNA/Reuters

In 2023, North Korea held a launch ceremony for a reworked Cold War-era submarine with missile capabilities, though it's unclear if the sub is operational.

North Korea's new "tactical nuclear attack submarine" at its launch ceremony.KCNA via REUTERS

The North Korean missile program began development in the late 1960s.

A North Korean soldier guards a missile.Damir Sagolj/Reuters

The full scope of North Korea's ballistic missile capabilities is unclear, but the military is believed to be in possession of long-, medium-, and short-range missiles.

Kim Jong-un attends a test launch of a missile.KCNA via Reuters

In 2021, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists estimated that North Korea could possess enough fissile material to produce 40 to 50 nuclear weapons.

Kim Jong Un inspects nuclear warheads.KRT/via Reuters TV/Handout via REUTERS

Nuclear tests were conducted within the country in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017.

A rally celebrating the success of a nuclear test is held in Kim Il Sung Square.KCNA/Reuters

In 2017, Un attended a celebration held in honor of the nuclear scientists and engineers who contributed to a hydrogen bomb test.

Kim Jong Un reacts during a celebration for nuclear scientists and engineers who contributed to a hydrogen bomb test.KCNA via Reuters

North Korea's military also has a band that performs at official functions known as the Central Military Band of the Korean People's Army.

The Central Military Band of the Korean People's Army performs in Moscow.ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images

Despite being one of the largest armies in the world, North Korea's military remains shrouded in mystery.

Members of North Korea's military perform a night drill of ground artillery sub-units.KCNA/Reuters.

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