Re: SKorea: NKorea builds up special forces

[Guest guest]

In most conscript armies, the "special forces" were the more reliable units because either they were political believers in the current regime or simply they are volunteer troops who stayed on after their conscription ended making them professional soldiers. Expanding troop numbers is fairly easy to do, but if the leadership quality isn't there, then the usefulness of those troops will be lessened. This happens time and again when politicians order a build up. They might get the bodies, but it is much harder to get quality leaders in quantity to make best use of them. Indeed troop buildups often fail for this reason since the new troops perform badly in contact with the enemy. Then again, if it is done correctly it can really pay off.

North Korea, on the other hand, seems to be cutting its military. This is because they can't afford to maintain their weapons from tanks to artillery to individual weapons. Actually practicing with their tanks and planes is quite rare for lack of fuel and spare parts. Infantrymen get little target practice because of lack of ammunition and also because their guns are old and falling apart. By reducing troop numbers there is more money for proper upkeep and training for those that are left.

Its hard to say how much the north might accomplish in an attack on the south. Most likely they will cause a terrible panic in Seoul but not accomplish much else before their gear falls apart. Then again, perhaps the information coming out of the north is disinformation and they are better off than we think.

In a message dated 12/30/2010 4:34:29 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea has deployed faster, more powerful tanks near the border with rival South Korea and increased its special forces by 20,000 over the past two years, a major military review said Thursday.