Comparison of North Korea and South Korea Military Strengths (2024)

GLOBAL FIREPOWER | UTILITY

Side-by-side comparison showcasing the relative conventional fighting strengths of North Korea and South Korea for the year 2024.

The selected countries for comparison, North Korea and South Korea, are displayed below in side-by-side format. The Primary selection is displayed in Blue while the Secondary selection is displayed in Red. Go back to compare two other military powers.

The side-by-side comparison provides a theoretical look at war footing between two potential (or active) military rivals.

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COUNTRIES

North Korea

PwrIndx: 0.5313
Score of 0.0000 being optimal.
(Rnk 36 of 145)

South Korea

PwrIndx: 0.1416
Score of 0.0000 being optimal.
(Rnk 5 of 145)

COMPARISON BRIEF

✕

Manpower

✓

✕

Airpower ✓ South Korea national flag image

✓

Land Power ✕ South Korea national flag image

✕

Naval Power ✓ South Korea national flag image

✕

Nat.Resources ✓ South Korea national flag image

✕

Financials ✓ South Korea national flag image

✕

Logistics ✓ South Korea national flag image

✕

Geography ✓ South Korea national flag image

MANPOWER

Total Population (Rnk 55)
26,072,217
(Diff: -25,894,731)

Total Population (Rnk 28)
51,966,948
(Diff: 25,894,731)

Available Manpower (Rnk 58)
9,385,998
(Diff: -16,597,476)

Available Manpower (Rnk 27)
25,983,474
(Diff: 16,597,476)

Fit-for-Service (Rnk 64)
5,266,588
(Diff: -16,039,861)

Fit-for-Service (Rnk 25)
21,306,449
(Diff: 16,039,861)

Reaching Mil. Age Annually (Rnk 53)
417,155
(Diff: 1,419)

Reaching Mil. Age Annually (Rnk 54)
415,736
(Diff: -1,419)

Active Personnel (Rnk 4)
1,320,000
(Diff: 720,000)

Active Personnel (Rnk 9)
600,000
(Diff: -720,000)

Reserve Personnel (Rnk 12)
560,000
(Diff: -2,540,000)

Reserve Personnel (Rnk 2)
3,100,000
(Diff: 2,540,000)

Paramilitary Forces (Rnk 16)
100,000
(Diff: -20,000)

Paramilitary Forces (Rnk 13)
120,000
(Diff: 20,000)

FINANCIALS

Defense Budget (Rnk 58)
$3,500,000,000
(Diff: $-41,200,000,000)

Defense Budget (Rnk 11)
$44,700,000,000
(Diff: $41,200,000,000)

External Debt (Rnk 23)
$5,000,000,000
(Diff: $-452,745,000,000)

External Debt (Rnk 94)
$457,745,000,000
(Diff: $452,745,000,000)

Foreign Reserve (Rnk 97)
$5,000,000,000
(Diff: $-458,281,000,000)

Foreign Reserve (Rnk 8)
$463,281,000,000
(Diff: $458,281,000,000)

Purchasing Power (Rnk 117)
$40,000,000,000
(Diff: $-2,249,000,000,000)

Purchasing Power (Rnk 14)
$2,289,000,000,000
(Diff: $2,249,000,000,000)

AIRPOWER

Total Aircraft (Rnk 11)
951
(Diff: -625)

Total Aircraft (Rnk 5)
1,576
(Diff: 625)

Fighter Aircraft (Rnk 5)
440
(Diff: 86)

Fighter Aircraft (Rnk 7)
354
(Diff: -86)

Dedicated Attack (Rnk 4)
132
(Diff: 34)

Dedicated Attack (Rnk 6)
98
(Diff: -34)

Transports (Rnk 51)
1
(Diff: -40)

Transports (Rnk 20)
41
(Diff: 40)

Trainers (Rnk 16)
173
(Diff: -115)

Trainers (Rnk 8)
288
(Diff: 115)

Special-Mission (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -33)

Special-Mission (Rnk 8)
33
(Diff: 33)

Aerial Tankers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -4)

Aerial Tankers (Rnk 13)
4
(Diff: 4)

Helicopters (Rnk 23)
205
(Diff: -553)

Helicopters (Rnk 5)
758
(Diff: 553)

Attack Helicopters (Rnk 28)
20
(Diff: -92)

Attack Helicopters (Rnk 5)
112
(Diff: 92)

LAND POWER

Tank Strength (Rnk 2)
5,845
(Diff: 3,344)

Tank Strength (Rnk 9)
2,501
(Diff: -3,344)

Armored Vehicles (Rnk 21)
24,696
(Diff: -41,796)

Armored Vehicles (Rnk 8)
66,492
(Diff: 41,796)

Self-Propelled Artillery (Rnk 2)
4,500
(Diff: 1,311)

Self-Propelled Artillery (Rnk 4)
3,189
(Diff: -1,311)

Towed Artillery (Rnk 3)
4,500
(Diff: -363)

Towed Artillery (Rnk 2)
4,863
(Diff: 363)

Mobile Rocket Projectors (Rnk 3)
2,920
(Diff: 2,339)

Mobile Rocket Projectors (Rnk 11)
581
(Diff: -2,339)

NAVAL POWER

Fleet Strength (Rnk 3)
505
(Diff: 305)

Fleet Strength (Rnk 15)
200
(Diff: -305)

Aircraft Carriers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: 0)

Helo Carriers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -2)

Helo Carriers (Rnk 4)
2
(Diff: 2)

Submarines (Rnk 4)
35
(Diff: 13)

Submarines (Rnk 6)
22
(Diff: -13)

Destroyers (Rnk 145)
0
(Diff: -13)

Destroyers (Rnk 5)
13
(Diff: 13)

Frigates (Rnk 16)
1
(Diff: -16)

Frigates (Rnk 3)
17
(Diff: 16)

Corvettes (Rnk 13)
4
(Diff: -1)

Corvettes (Rnk 12)
5
(Diff: 1)

Patrol Vessels (Rnk 4)
169
(Diff: 134)

Patrol Vessels (Rnk 31)
35
(Diff: -134)

Mine Warfare (Rnk 21)
1
(Diff: -13)

Mine Warfare (Rnk 8)
14
(Diff: 13)

LOGISTICS

Airports (Rnk 60)
82
(Diff: -29)

Airports (Rnk 48)
111
(Diff: 29)

Merchant Marine (Rnk 48)
270
(Diff: -1,793)

Merchant Marine (Rnk 8)
2,063
(Diff: 1,793)

Ports & Terminals (Rnk 14)
7
(Diff: -4)

Ports & Terminals (Rnk 10)
11
(Diff: 4)

Labor Force (Rnk 36)
17,160,000
(Diff: -11,514,000)

Labor Force (Rnk 23)
28,674,000
(Diff: 11,514,000)

Roadways (Rnk 101)
25,554km
(Diff: -74,874km)

Roadways (Rnk 48)
100,428km
(Diff: 74,874km)

Roadways (Rnk 29)
7,435km
(Diff: 3,456km)

Roadways (Rnk 48)
3,979km
(Diff: -3,456km)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Oil Production (Rnk 145)
0bbl
(Diff: -40,000bbl)

Oil Production (Rnk 58)
40,000bbl
(Diff: 40,000bbl)

Oil Consumption (Rnk 15)
20,500bbl
(Diff: -2,579,500bbl)

Oil Consumption (Rnk 106)
2,600,000bbl
(Diff: 2,579,500bbl)

Proven Oil Reserves (Rnk 145)
0bbl
(Diff: 0bbl)

Natural Gas Production (Rnk 145)
0bbl
(Diff: -240,042,000bbl)

Natural Gas Production (Rnk 70)
240,042,000bbl
(Diff: 240,042,000bbl)

Natural Gas Consumption (Rnk 1)
0bbl
(Diff: -53,419,105,000bbl)

Natural Gas Consumption (Rnk 94)
53,419,105,000bbl
(Diff: 53,419,105,000bbl)

Proven Nat.Gas Reserves (Rnk 145)
0bbl
(Diff: -7,079,000,000bbl)

Proven Nat.Gas Reserves (Rnk 76)
7,079,000,000bbl
(Diff: 7,079,000,000bbl)

Coal Production (Rnk 21)
16,376,000bbl
(Diff: 12,000bbl)

Coal Production (Rnk 22)
16,364,000bbl
(Diff: -12,000bbl)

Coal Consumption (Rnk 74)
6,698,000bbl
(Diff: -133,881,000bbl)

Coal Consumption (Rnk 108)
140,579,000bbl
(Diff: 133,881,000bbl)

Proven Coal Reserves (Rnk 37)
600,000,000bbl
(Diff: 274,000,000bbl)

Proven Coal Reserves (Rnk 49)
326,000,000bbl
(Diff: -274,000,000bbl)

GEOGRAPHY

Square Land Area (Rnk 94)
120,538km
(Diff: 20,818km)

Square Land Area (Rnk 104)
99,720km
(Diff: -20,818km)

Shared Border (Rnk 38)
1,607km
(Diff: 1,370km)

Shared Border (Rnk 4)
237km
(Diff: -1,370km)

Coastline (Rnk 70)
2,495km
(Diff: 82km)

Coastline (Rnk 64)
2,413km
(Diff: -82km)

Waterways (Rnk 40)
2,250km
(Diff: 650km)

Waterways (Rnk 50)
1,600km
(Diff: -650km)

Going Further...

View details of the countries showcased above.

2024 Military Strength of
North Korea

2024 Military Strength of
South Korea

Top Visiting Countries (April, 2024)

68.3%

11.1%

6.9%

4.4%

4.0%

2.8%

2.4%

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