The **Korean People's Army (KPA)** is North Korea's military force responsible for the defense and projection of state power, with a focus on both conventional and asymmetric warfare capabilities. Established under Kim Il Sung, it has evolved into one of the world's largest standing armies, with approximately 1.2 million active personnel, including about 200,000 special operations forces, supported by millions in reserves and paramilitary units[4][6]. Historically, the KPA has been shaped by the Korean War's lessons, emphasizing large manpower reserves and layered defense. It operates under the Workers’ Party of Korea's (WPK) strict political control, reinforced by political commissars to ensure loyalty, with the military-first policy (*songun*) entrenched since the 1990s[4]. Under Kim Jong-un, the military's leadership was rebalanced to solidify party control and remove factions loyal to previous regimes, reflecting ongoing institutional shifts[4]. The KPA's ground forces, one of the largest globally, include armored corps such as the 820th Corps, equipped with indigenous tanks like the Cheonma-ho and Pokpung-ho, plus mechanized infantry and artillery units, capable of rapid breakthroughs and heavy firepower support[1][5]. The military also maintains a formidable special operations force tasked with reconnaissance, sabotage, and countering South Korean incursions, with around 100,000 troops in specialized brigades and battalions[6][7]. Technologically, North Korea has advanced its ballistic missile program significantly, developing a range of missiles that pose strategic threats regionally and globally, intended to deter U.S. intervention and compel diplomatic recognition of the regime's sovereignty[3][5]. Despite limited modernization compared to other countries, the KPA combines large-scale manpower, artillery dominance, and missile capabilities to maintain a credible deterrent. Currently, the KPA balances conventional threats with asymmetric tactics, political loyalty enforcement, and continuous organizational restructuring