North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has long plotted an invasion to take over the south and reunify the peninsular which has been divided since the 1950s.
Since the end of the Korean War gave rise to the current military stalemate tension has remained high between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Kim Jong Un has issued numerous threats against the US and ROK while preparing his military forces for an all-out war on the Korean peninsula.
The North Korean army is known to host millions of soldiers, chemical and nuclear weapons as well as thousands of artillery pieces.
Should Kim Jong-Un launch an invasion of South Korea, British historian Dr Mark Felton has explored what the DPRK’s military strategy could look like.
In a YouTube video entitled North Korea’s Invasion Plan – Would It Succeed? Dr Felton explains that the North Korean plan would rely on surprise and a massive bombardment from heavy artillery across the border.
He explains: “The primary point concerning a North Korean invasion of the South is the element of surprise, the assault will come out of the blue not giving the South Koreans or the US any real warning.
“Hence there could not be a buildup of US military forces across the region ready to hit the North Koreans hard.”
The initial North Korean plans also call for an attack on the US Indo-Pacific Command likely using ballistic missile strikes.
Likely targets noted by Dr Felton are Camp HM Smith in Hawaii, Camp Humphreys in South Korea, and the US headquarters in Japan at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo.
North Korea would also use artillery amassed near the demilitarised zone (DMZ) to launch a 30-minute artillery barrage on pre-selected targets.
Dr Felton points out that the the most powerful North Korean artillery guns have a range of up to 40 kilometres, allowing them to cover a significant portion of the South Korean capital Seoul. He added: “The artillery would hit Seoul, Incheon, Gimpo, Paju, Yeoncheon Dongducheon, Cheorwon, Yanggu, Goseong, and the US base at Camp Casey.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta8O3LLW4pI
A study by the Rand Corporation put casualties in Seoul in the event of a mass artillery strike by North Korea at an estimated at 135,000 with millions forced to become refugees and flee southwards. Dr Felton estimates that in 30 minutes, an approximate 192,5000 artillery shells – as well as rockets – would be fired along the length of the DMZ/
Following the artillery strike some 50,000 North Korean commandos would launch surprise attacks on South Korean and US military bases. The commando’s primary goal according to Dr Felton would be to identify and seize US citizens living in South Korea so that they can be used as hostages.
The historian concluded: “North Korean success just like its 1950 invasion is predicated on surprise and speed and of course there is the nuclear question to consider unlike recent us adversaries North Korea is a nuclear-armed state which poses severe problems for any US counter attack.”
