Summary
June 2, 2009: The article discusses the decaying state of the North Korean military - especially its elite special forces units, which consist of approximately 15% of the military. While loyalty is still fairly high, the lack of ammunition raises doubts on the quality of their gun training (including of that of their sniper units). Furthermore, these units are used to keep the rest of the military in line and also to cooperate with the secret police - exposing them to the corruption inherent in the system and further damaging their morale.
As a result, North Korean forces would be unlikely to be able to advance far into South Korea in the case of a war, and South Korean forces - which are less numerous but far better equipped and trained - might be able to push back easier than commonly thought.
Source
Game and Story Use
- The article provides useful background material for any military-based campaign centered on a renewed war on the Korean peninsula.
- Or, in a game where Conspiracy Theories prove true, the article might be disinformation or propaganda, released by the US to sell the public on invasion, by South Korea to sell the US Government on such an idea, or released by North Korea to fool the South and West into underestimating them. Just sayin'.