II Corps (North Korea)
Encyclopedia
II Corps is a corps
of the Korean People's Army
. It was created on June 12, 1950 with Lt. General Kim Kwang-hyop in command. During the Korean War
the unit was composed of the 2nd Infantry Division
, the 13th Mechanised Division
, and the 27th Infantry Division.
The 27th Infantry Division was part of the II Corps. It defended the Kumchon area north of Kaesong
with the 19th Division
. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division began attacking on October 9, 1950, along the main highway from Kaesong to Kumchon. The US 8th Cavalry had to stop repeatedly and wait for engineer troops to clear mines from the road. Halfway to Kumchon on the twelfth the 8th Cavalry was halted by a Norhh Korea strongpoint, defended by tanks, self-propelled guns, and antiaircraft weapons. In spite of a sixteen-plane air strike and a 155-mm. howitzer barrage, the strongpoint held.
The US 5th Cavalry's 1st Battalion encountered the 19th and 27th Division's defenses on October 11 as they were holding a long ridge with several knobs -— Hills 179, 175, and 174 -— that dominated a pass fifteen miles northeast of Kaesong. The 5th Cavalry finally drove the defenders from the ridge during the afternoon of the twelfth, after much fierce fighting.
Probably consisted of at least 3 divisions on January 7, 1951, when one division attacked the adjacent ROK 8th Infantry Division (South Korea)
. They were assisted by one of the divisions of the NKPA V Corps
. The II Corps also attacked the ROK III Corps
to the east with its remaining divisions. The II Corps managed to penetrate the ROK III Corps defenses and cause concerns about the stability of the UN lines.
Globalsecurity.org
has reported that the corps is part of the First Echelon of the KPA and now consists of the 3rd
, 6th
, and 8th Infantry Divisions.
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
of the Korean People's Army
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
. It was created on June 12, 1950 with Lt. General Kim Kwang-hyop in command. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
the unit was composed of the 2nd Infantry Division
2nd Division (North Korea)
The 2nd Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People's Army that fought during the Korean War. It is uncertain when the unit was originally raised, however, it is believed to have been formed sometime between 1946 and 1947...
, the 13th Mechanised Division
13th Division (North Korea)
The 13th Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People's Army during the 20th Century.It participated in the North Korean advance from Seoul to Daejeon.The division fought in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter....
, and the 27th Infantry Division.
The 27th Infantry Division was part of the II Corps. It defended the Kumchon area north of Kaesong
Kaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...
with the 19th Division
19th Division (North Korea)
The 19th Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People's Army.It defended the Kumchon area north of Kaesong with the 27th Division....
. The U.S. 1st Cavalry Division began attacking on October 9, 1950, along the main highway from Kaesong to Kumchon. The US 8th Cavalry had to stop repeatedly and wait for engineer troops to clear mines from the road. Halfway to Kumchon on the twelfth the 8th Cavalry was halted by a Norhh Korea strongpoint, defended by tanks, self-propelled guns, and antiaircraft weapons. In spite of a sixteen-plane air strike and a 155-mm. howitzer barrage, the strongpoint held.
The US 5th Cavalry's 1st Battalion encountered the 19th and 27th Division's defenses on October 11 as they were holding a long ridge with several knobs -— Hills 179, 175, and 174 -— that dominated a pass fifteen miles northeast of Kaesong. The 5th Cavalry finally drove the defenders from the ridge during the afternoon of the twelfth, after much fierce fighting.
Probably consisted of at least 3 divisions on January 7, 1951, when one division attacked the adjacent ROK 8th Infantry Division (South Korea)
8th Infantry Division (South Korea)
The 8th Infantry Division was a military formation of the Republic of Korea Army during the 20th Century.-History:The unit comprises the 10th, 16th and 21st Regiments. The 16th Infantry Regiment was originally activated as the 16th Regiment on October 28, 1948 at Masan and was first commanded by...
. They were assisted by one of the divisions of the NKPA V Corps
V Corps (North Korea)
V Corps of the Korean People's Army was created before January, 1951.Consisted of at least 3 divisions on January 7, 1951, when 2 divisions attacked the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division in a frontal attack, while a third division attacked from the northwest against the adjacent ROK 8th Division...
. The II Corps also attacked the ROK III Corps
III Corps (South Korea)
The III Corps was a corps of the Republic of Korea Army that was formed on October 16, 1950. and initially consisted of 2nd, 5th and 8th Infantry Division.It was Command by Major General Yu Jae Hung.- The Second Spring Offensive :...
to the east with its remaining divisions. The II Corps managed to penetrate the ROK III Corps defenses and cause concerns about the stability of the UN lines.
Globalsecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
has reported that the corps is part of the First Echelon of the KPA and now consists of the 3rd
3rd Division (North Korea)
The 3rd Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People's Army during the 20th Century.-Formation and composition:The exact date of formation is in dispute, but it occurred sometime between May 1947 and October 1948, at Pyongyang. In its organization, the 35d Division seemed to...
, 6th
6th Division (North Korea)
The 6th Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People's Army during the 20th Century. The date that the 6th Infantry Division was formed in somewhat unclear as the Army during the Korean War believed that the 6th ID was established either in July 1949 or March 1950 at Sinuiju from...
, and 8th Infantry Divisions.