Pentagon claims North Korean military not to be overlooked

The report, required by law, updates Congress regularly on the status of and changes in North Korea’s military capabilities.

While the report, released Friday, was written prior to Pyongyang’s recent nuclear test and satellite launch, it underscores the regime’s devotion of large amounts of funding to modernizing its military forces and weapons arsenals.

The report also singles out North Korea’s Special Operations forces. It calls them “among the most highly trained, well-equipped, best fed and highly motivated” forces in North Korean leader Kim Jung Un’s military.

In other sections of the report, the Pentagon notes North Korea’s major Special Operations units “appear designed for rapid offensive operations,” including internal defense against foreign attacks.

Kim continues to make public statements detailing his views that the country could come under attack, so this assessment appears to square with his priorities.

North Korea’s Special Operations forces “operate in specialized units, including reconnaissance, airborne and seaborne insertion, commandos and other specialties,” the report finds.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed concerns about North Korea’s military last week in Washington.

“Every single day we are watching that DMZ,” he said, referring to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. There are about 27,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.

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