KOREAN ORDER OF BATTLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200320004-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 15, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 17, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 20
NSC BRIEFING
KOREAN ORDER OF BATTLE
17 June 1954
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1. Chinese Communist Ground Forces: (Armies--Unit Strength - 43,441)
A. On Front-- (1) At Cease-Fire - 8
(2) At Present - 4
B. In Korea -- (1) At Cease-Fire -19
(2) At Present - 11
C. Present Total -- 660,000 (men)
D. Withdrawals commenced immediately after (or~just
prior) to armistice and have been gradual. Timing
of no significance other than probably influenced
by North Korean readiness.
II. North Korean Ground Forces: (Corps--Unit Strength - 28,892)
A. On F
ront --
(1)
At Cease-Fire - 2
(2)
At Present
-
4
B. In K
orea --
(1)
At Cease-F
ire - 6
(2)
At Present
-
6-8
C. Pres
ent Tota
l --
356,000 (men)
D. Nort
h Korean
s app
arently pu
t in front li
ne as
trai
ning com
plete
d. Indica
tions another
Chinese
army preparing withdraw from line. This puts
Korean troops opposite each other except on main
portion of western front.
NSA review completed
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III. ROK Ground Forces: (Divisions--Unit Strength -
A. On Front -- (1) At Cease-Fire - 10
(2) At Present - 13
B. In Korea -- (1) At Cease-Fire - 15
(2) At Present
(,Z 3, too
C. Present Total -- 638-,-0" (men)
D. ROK replaced UN units in less critical areas as
14,000)
trained.
on 4 June.
RO
K 21s
t put in critical
Chor
won area
IV.
US Ground Forces: '(Divisions--Unit Strength -
181000)
A. On Front -
-
(1)
At Cease-Fire -
6
(2)
At Present -
3
B. In Korea -
-
(1)
At Cease-Fire -
(2)
At Present
-
6
C. Present To
ta
l --
235,500 (men)
D. Commonweal
th
Divi
sion, Turk B
rigade and
seven
miscellane
are in add
ou
it
s UN
ion t
battalions (
o above.
total 33,5
00)
V. Air Strength
A. North Korea 170 MIG-15's, 100 piston fighters
and ground attack, 30 TU-2 piston bombers, 40
IL-28 jet bombers.
B. Communist (Manchuria) -- 300 Chinese and 250
Soviet MIG-15's, 130 Chinese IL-28's plus some
or all North Korean bombers.
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South Korea -- 80 F-51 piston fighters.
D. All North Korean aircraft except bombers moved
into Korea just prior to or after armistice.
Chinese air strength Manchuria decreased 100-
125 MIG's since armistice. Soviets deactivated
4 fighter regiments since armistice. North
Korean air strength about same.
VI. North Korean vs South Korean capabilities.
A. Approximately equal in ground combat strength.
B. North greatly superior in air strength.
C. South deficient in antiaircraft artillery.
D. North possesses higher total most major fire
support weapons.
E. Both dependent on outside logistical aid.
F. North air superiority and availability
logistical support probably decisive.
VII. General
A. Although current disposition and attitude of
enemy forces in Korea are defensive, Communist
forces retain the capability to attack with
little warning. They could not, because of
Chinese withdrawals, sustain a major offensive
without reinforcements from Manchuria.
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B. Chinese have withdrawn eight of the nineteen
armies in Korea just prior to the armistice.
Chinese strength in Korea has been reduced
from a wartime peak of 872,000 to 660,000.
There are indications that relief of the 16th
Chinese Army may be imminent, which would make
the North Korean and South Korean forces
occupy the same frontline area.
C. Expansion and activation of ground units has
increased North Korean strength from 282,000,
at the time of the armistice to a present
356,000. Major components of the North Korean
army include: 19 infantry divisions, 7 infantry
brigades, 7 armored regiments, 12 AAA regiments
and 4 AAA battalions.
E. There are reports of integration of Chinese
into Korean units on a small scale. No con-
firmation that a large-scale integration plan
to augment Korean forces is under way.
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VIII. Naval Forces`
vessels.
B. The South Korean navy is equipped with 24
patrol, 11 amphibious and nine auxilliary
A. The North Korean navy is equipped with small
patrol and mine craft, but has no major combat
..r,
vessels.
L;\ ,. (0-)-
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