SHOCK BRIGADES AT NAMDAE-CHIN NORTH KOREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00913A000100940001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 18, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

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Imagery analysis report
Shock Brigades at Namdae-chon
North Korea
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IAR-0046/25X1
APRIL 1980
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SHOCK BRIGADES AT NAMDAE-CHON, NORTH KOREA
INTRODUCTION
1. L__]This report discusses the relocation, organization, and disposition of the five North Kore-
an shock brigades which dismantled and vacated their garrison in the Hwangsuwon valley during 1979.
New facilities for these brigades were observed under construction in the Namdae-chon area during 1979.
This report which contains a map and 14 photographs has an information cutoff date of I March 1980.
2. ~ In 1975, the North Korean Army formed a large, unique military force consisting of five
shock brigades in a remote area of northeastern North Korea. This force was unlike any other in North
Korea or in any other Communist country. The garrisons for the five brigades were constructed in the
Hwangsuwon valley in the northern 7th Corps. The facilities at Hwangsuwon Barracks and Training Area
housed approximately 15,000 personnel in more than 1,000 military buildings. The
overall size of the facility, its composition and isolation, and the extent of associated training facilities all
attested to the uniqueness of this force.
3. the shock brigades occupying the Hwangsuwon complex
dismantled and vacated the facility and began constructing a new garrison in the Namdae-chon area, 45
kilometers (km) southeast of the original facility. To date, no specific reason for the relocation of the
brigades from Hwangsuwon to Namdae-chon has been determined.
late April 1979 establishing a new base in the Namdae-chon area (Figure 1), 45 km
e five shock brigades which were housed in the Hwangsuwon complex were observed on
southeast of Hwangsuwon. By early June 1979, over 300 new buildings were observed under construction
in the new area. Construction of facilities for all five brigades continued at an accelerated pace throughout
the summer and fall of 1979. By late fall, approximately 1,450 military buildings and 400 dependent
quarters were externally complete or nearly complete. With most garrison facilities complete, the construc-
tion effort during December 1979 was directed toward building training facilities similar to those which
had been at Hwangsuwon.
5. The new complex at Namdae-chon is widely dispersed throughout the valley in a 30- by 15-
km area. The five brigades-Namdae-chon A Namdae-chon B
Namda - h n C Namdae-chon D and Namdae-chon E
are physically separated by the rugged, mountainous terrain (Figure 1). The subordinates
of each brigade are widely dispersed in company- and battalion-sized compounds throughout the brigade
area. Analysis of imagery of the five brigades revealed that their overall unit composition remained similar
to that initially seen at Hwangsuwon. The overall functional composition of each brigade consists of a
brigade headquarters (bde hq) with support elements, three infantry battalions (inf bns), a tank battalion,
a 120mm mortar battalion (mort bn), a truck-mounted antiaircraft (AA) battalion, a probable
ranger/commando battalion, a 107mm towed multiple-rocket launcher (MRL) company, one to three
military storage areas, and a brigade motor pool/maintenance area. Several clusters of dependents
quarters are dispersed throughout each brigade area.
6. = During detailed analysis of the units deployed at Namdae-chon, it became apparent that
there were three variations of infantry battalions in each brigade. These variations are consistent
throughout the five brigades. In order to maintain continuity in reporting the three types of battalions,
NPIC has designated the units Type 1, Type II, and Type III infantry battalions. The difference between
the three variations of infantry battalions are:
a. Type I consists of a normal infantry battalion headquarters, three similar infantry companies,
and a mortar company with their facilities aligned in a regular pattern (Figure 2),
b. Type II contains a normal infantry battalion headquarters, three similar infantry companies,
and a mortar company with their facilities widely dispersed and irregularly aligned throughout the
battalion area (Figure 3), and
c. Type III contains a large battalion headquarters area with only three infantry company barracks
areas which are aligned in a regular pattern (Figure 4).
7. Each of the five brigade headquarters areas contains barracks, an E-shaped headquarters
building, a large auditorium, two to five adjacent support companies, and a nearby large artillery and
infantry training area (Figure 5).
8. The three fire support units (mortar, AA, and MRL) of each brigade are immediately
adjacent to each other and share common training facilities in four brigade areas (Figure 6).
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Sea of Japan
SOUTH KOREA
NPI S-8743
FIGURE 1. LOCATIONS OF THE NAMDAE-CHON AND HWANGSUWON COMPLEXES, NORTH KOREA. Overall deployment of the five
shock brigades within the Namdae-chon complex
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HWANGSUWON
COMPLEX
?
NAMDAE-CHON 0
COMPLEX ef
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9. In the tank battalion areas, a varied amount of shedding has been observed to cover the
tanks. The tanks sserc completely covered in three of the brigade areas by mid-September. One area was
partially sheuded at that time, but construction ceased and the storage sheds have remained unchanged
since mid-September. no preparation of any kind was observed to cover the tanks in
the fifth battalion area (Figures 7 and 8).
10. Analysis of imagery of the training facilities sshich have been constructed throughout the
entire complex reveals that they are similar to the ones that had been constructed at Hwangsus on prior to
its evacuation. Training facilities observed in the Namdae-chon complex consist of company- and
battalion-sized assault courses: multidistance small-arms ranges: small-arms, mortar, and MRL firing
positions: artillery miniature ranges: tank driving and subcaliber ranges: mockup tanks, artillery, trucks,
large-caliber truck-mounted rocket launchers, and aircraft: and aircraft silhouettes. Of all the training aids
observed at Namdae-chon, only the aircraft mockup and silhouettes svere never detected at Hwangsuwon
(Figures 9 and 10).
11. = The locations and dispositions of all major functional elements of the five brigades, as
they are deployed in the Namdae-chon complex, are depicted in Figures Il through 15. The functional
designation of the integral subordinate elements which are consistent throughout the five brigades (A
through E) are as follosss:
-I Brigade headquarters, support units, and training facilities
Inf_u,ln h,al_dlon I Irpa II
-3 Infantry battalion (Type 11)
-4 Infantry battalion (Type 111)
-6 I ~fk~un :nr :ar 'n~ai..~l,on
I r.;ck-r'o..nted ;1:A battaL a
-8 Ranger/commando battalion
-9 i07inm tossed sIRL company
-10 Brigade-level storage areas
Detailed reporting of facilities and equipment will be maintained in the Installation Data File (IDF).
IMAGERY ANALYST'S COMMENTS
12. ~ Despite close monitoring since the five brigades were first observed moving from
Hwangsuwon no specific reason for their relocation has been apparent. As of mid-
September 1979, no evidence of land reclamation, major construction projects, or indications of any
epidemics in or adjacent to the abandoned area were observed at Hwangsuwon. The Namdae-chon
complex is 45 km closer to the railheads on the coastal rail system. In addition to the improved physical
proximity to the rail system, the nesv location eliminates the need for movement over the rugged,
mountainous terrain between Hwangsuwon and Namdae-chon. Movement over this mountainous area
would be time consuming and treacherous under certain weather conditions. An obvious difference
betsseen the garrisons at }{wangsusvon and Namdae-chon is an increased effort to disperse and to
cover/conceal the activity in the Namdae-chon area. However, the reasons for obvious attempts at
corer/concealment in some brigade areas and the lack of like activity in other brigades are unknown.
Finally, for sshatever reasons the North Koreans had for moving the personnel and much of the material
between these tsvo complexes, this move had to be expensive.
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MAPS OR CHARTS
D\1A. LS Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0290-24, scale 1:200,000 (UNCLASSIFIED)
REQUIREMENT
Project 130122NG
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