NORTH KOREAN GROUND FORCES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B05703A000100050041-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 4, 2003
• Sequence Number: 41
• Publication Date: February 18, 1970
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Re.e 2003/12/19: CIA-RDP78BO5703AQ100050041-5
18 February 1970
Executive Director, NPIIC
SUBJECT North Korean Ground Forces
1. The Imagery Exploitation Group's photo-
graphic study of selected North Korean ground force
installations now seem to be drawing to a close.
Nearly all areas cited in the requirement apparent-
ly have been scanned and their military facilities
described in detail. OSR's North Korea analysts
would like to meet soon with the IEG officers involved
to resolve a small residue of interpretation questions
and to tidy up other loose ends.
2. OSR wishes to underline the importance of
this work and express appreciation for IEG's compe-
tent handling. The product is a unique contribution
to intelligence on North Korean ground forces and
hence to the problem of determining the true threat
to South Korea. Analysis of the material has provided
the first good understanding of North Korean combat
units up to divisional size. OSR is drawing on these
data for one intelligence memorandum now in draft, and
hopes to base on them another, more definitive work to
be published in 4 or 5 months.
II
3. IEG could very usefully supplement its present
contribution if it could continue limited third-phase
readout of North Korean ground force targets. Analysis
of the installations studied so far indicates they in-
clude units subordinate to three of the four divisions
included in the 5th Army Group. By completing the
readout of these four divisions and the army group units
themselves, IEG would provide data for analyzing a com-
plete army group, the basic, integrated combat unit of
the North Korean Army. Knowledge of army group makeup
is vital for an understanding of North Korean military
doctrine, which evidence indicates has recently changed,
and about which a memorandum is scheduled for publica-
tion late this year.
DECLASS REVIEW by NIMA/DOD
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4. Readout of from 50 to 70 installations
probably would be required to complete the study
of the 5th Army Group. The task would thus be
about the same size as that previously undertaken
by IEG. The effort probably could be reduced 25
to 30 percent, however, by confining the readout
to the latest and best photography, foregoing a
chronological study. The work already accomplished
by IEG should make such a study unnecessary. A
completion date of September 1970 would make the
results available for analysis and publication in
the memorandum scheduled for the last quarter of
1970. Interim results would support the memorandum
due in June 1970.
5. Let's get your pros and mine together to
work this out.
25X1
Director
Strategic Research
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 pproved For Release 2003/12/19: C 86057 I
r MEMORANDUM FOR:
I called. Statistics he gave to you
this morning were not accurate. He got out
the reports and in the 1969 Program DIA produ
24 reports. Most of them came out after
end of the accounting period (went ove ' to 1970).
They are slated to do 27 reports ii Fourth
Quarter. So far they are early he has
reeeived 18 reports.
Id'
tvap41-so r 970
(DATE)
I FORM
MAY FORM
AUGN 54 101 WHICH REPLACES
USED. (47)
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 Approver Release 2003/12/19 : CIA-RDP78EW03A000100050041-5
IC/fl-75-70
9 MAR 1970
SUBT .'T
: Director of Strategic T,esearch
: Orth Korean Gad Forces
1. Thanks for your nice words concerning our support of the North
Korean greed force studies. We are eager to clean any loose ands as
quickly as possible. I'd suggest you ask I I -- I assume
he is still your ran on the projoct -- to on
and arrange an early meting. Pon could go out , but fo
would have Duch greater success in resolvi questions hers when film,
light table and scopes are readily available.
2. Concerning the additional work on other units of the Sth Azw
Croup, I should prefer that we first clean up the above- itioned loose
ends before starting any now work. We shell be using the saw interpre-
ters for both the clean-up and the now work. usual., they nest interrupt
such work whenever incoming film froae a mission requires first and second
phase exploitation.
3. Once the clean-up work is coi leted I believe we both shall have
a better idea of how to proceed with the analysis of the other units.
Let's touch base again when are well along
toward completing the clean-up operation.
National Photographic Interpretation Center
Distribution :
Original & 1 - Addressee
2 - NPIC/ODIR
25X1 NPIC/ODIR: (6 March 1970)