[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] North Korea Unveils New Tank... Did Russia Assist?

Military Expert: "Enhanced Protection Compared to Existing Tanks"

North Korea has attracted attention to the performance of its newly unveiled tank. It is evaluated to have enhanced protection compared to the tanks it previously possessed, as well as an increased number of missile mounts.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

North Korea's Korean Central News Agency revealed the new tank on the 14th. The agency reported, "Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, supervised the 'Korean People's Army Tank Troops Large Combined Unit Competition' the previous day."

Photos of Chairman Kim personally driving the new tank were also released. North Korea first unveiled this tank at the military parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party in October 2020, and it appears that deployment in active service has been completed.

Shin Jong-woo, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said, "The internal space has been expanded, and reactive armor has been installed not only on the front and sides but also on the top, enhancing protection. It has been modified to carry two anti-tank missiles, an active defense system, and external optical cameras to improve external visibility of the tank." It is believed that the new tank has replaced the existing main battle tanks Cheonmaho and Pokpungho.

Possibility of Technology Transfer to North Korea via Hacking or Russia

Intelligence authorities believe that North Korea incorporated new technologies into its tanks through hacking or technology transfers from Russia. Baek Jong-wook, the 3rd Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, revealed "Cyber threat trends in the public sector last year" at a recent press briefing, stating, "While North Korea used to conduct hacking with specific plans, recently hacking is carried out frequently according to instructions."

He added that North Korea attacked the defense industry sector of at least 25 countries from 2020 to last year. In particular, it was analyzed that North Korea attempted multiple hacking attempts targeting defense companies in Russia, its ally. A National Intelligence Service official said, "North Korea's developed tanks and surface-to-air missiles are very similar to Russian products," and "It appears that stolen design blueprints and other materials were utilized in weapons development, showing no distinction between friend and foe." Among North Korea's global defense industry attack attempts, the aviation sector accounted for 25%, followed by tanks (17%), satellites (16%), and naval vessels (11%).

Shin Won-sik, Minister of National Defense, also stated at the '2024 1st Korea Strategy Dialogue' hosted by the Korea Peace Foundation held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, in January, "There is a possibility that various new Russian technologies related to advanced power such as aircraft and ground weapons, including tanks, could be provided to North Korea."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

North Korea is strengthening its armored forces in this manner. It currently possesses about 3,500 tanks, with the main battle tanks being the Cheonmaho and Pokpungho.

The Cheonmaho is an upgraded version of Russia's T-62 tank. It first appeared at North Korea's military parade on October 10, 2010. Currently, at least about 1,000 units are in operation. It is equipped with a new computer system, thermal imaging devices, and an automatic loader. The Cheonmaho's hull length is 6.63 meters, width 3.52 meters, height 2.4 meters, with a top speed of 50 km/h, operational range of 450 km, and weight of 40 tons.

Possessing Over 3,500 Units Including Cheonma and Pokpungho... Likely to Deploy Forward

The Pokpungho tank was developed in the 1990s by the 2nd Economic Commission and the 2nd Academy of Defense Science under the Workers' Party of Korea. It has been produced at the Ryugyong Electronics Factory since 2002. The Pokpungho's hull is about 7 meters long, 3.5 meters wide, and 2.2 meters high. Its top speed is 60 km/h, with a maximum operational range of 500 km and a weight of 44 tons.

The Pokpungho is the main battle tank upgraded from the former Soviet T-62, presumed to be equipped with a new 125mm or 115mm main gun. It is said to have strengthened firepower to counter attack helicopters of South Korean and U.S. forces by mounting a more powerful 14.5mm Soviet KPV anti-aircraft machine gun compared to the 12.7mm machine guns mounted on older North Korean tanks. It is equipped with a laser rangefinder and infrared searchlight, and is believed to have a modernized fire control system compared to existing North Korean tanks, resulting in improved accuracy.