The dire scenario if war breaks out on the Korean-North Korean border

If conflict breaks out, the border area between North and South Korea will become a bloody battlefield with many soldiers and heavy equipment.

South Korean soldiers patrol along the DMZ. Photo: PressTV

North Korea has beefed up its border defenses after a North Korean soldier defected to South Korea in November, making security in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas even tighter. The deployment of barbed wire, mines, and a large concentration of troops in fortifications could turn the DMZ into the world’s bloodiest battlefield in the event of conflict, according to the National Interest.

The current inter-Korean border was established after the armistice agreement signed in July 1953, in which the two sides agreed to establish a 4km wide, nearly 260km long demilitarized zone on the Korean Peninsula. Technically, there is no "border" because neither side considers the other to be a separate country, making the DMZ the de facto boundary separating North and South Korea.

North of the DMZ, North Korea has built a series of bunkers and fortified structures to prevent South Korean troops from crossing the border. An electric fence runs along the DMZ, along with several anti-personnel minefields buried underground, alongside a series of watchtowers to guard against South Korean incursions.

About 70% of North Korea's army and 50% of its navy and air force are stationed within 100 km of the DMZ. The country has also built a number of tunnels across the DMZ, at least four of which were discovered and neutralized by South Korea between 1974 and 2000.

DMZ and the locations of four North Korean tunnels discovered by South Korea. Graphics: Wikipedia

Since 2000, Pyongyang may have built at least 800 fortified defense structures near the border, each with a capacity of 1,500-2,000 infantrymen, forming a continuous defense against the enemy's spearhead force of cross-border raids.

Military expert Kyle Mizokami believes that in the event of war, North Korea will use overwhelming firepower and rapid marching speed to deliver a series of blows to the enemy. In 1992, Pyongyang made the assessment that only a "lightning strike, attacking Pusan ​​in three days" solution could succeed in the face of superior US firepower.

North Korea's three forward infantry corps, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Corps, supported by independent infantry brigades and the 620th and Kangdong Artillery Corps, will launch a lightning attack across the DMZ.

Then, with fighter cover, helicopters and transport planes would carry special forces, paratroopers and sabotage forces south of the border, while the navy would land troops on key islands and coastal areas of South Korea. North Korean submarines would deploy special forces and prevent the US and South Korean navies from counterattacking.

An attack from the three forward corps of the North Korean army would almost certainly be able to penetrate the defenses of the west and east coasts of South Korea. The western front would be more important, as it would open the door to the capital, Seoul.

North Korea could deploy the 815th Mechanized Infantry Corps and the 820th Tank Corps on the west coast, each with hundreds of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, ready to attack if the defense line is breached. The same is true on the east coast with the 108th Tank Corps and the 806th Mechanized Infantry Corps.

North Korean heavy artillery units such as the 620th and Kangdong Corps would fire from hardened artillery positions (HARTs) deep in the mountainsides and under thick layers of concrete, providing fire support for attacks on Seoul.

These sites allow North Korean artillery to destroy enemy forces and then retreat into the mountains to avoid South Korean aircraft, artillery and missiles. The US-ROK coalition has discovered several HART sites, but most remain secret.

Watchtowers along the DMZ. Photo: Wikipedia

Meanwhile, south of the DMZ, Seoul has also deployed many defense points to prevent the enemy from crossing the border. South Korean soldiers regularly patrol along the border with the support of many heavy weapons. Since 2010, the SGR-1 border guard robot has been deployed to protect the DMZ, reducing manpower costs for the South Korean military.

Seoul has dense defenses that are difficult for armored and mechanized infantry to penetrate. Many highways between the capital and the DMZ are designed to be easily blocked in the event of an attack.

The north-south routes all pass through narrow tunnels that can block heavy tanks. Each tunnel has a series of concrete pillars held up by cables that can be quickly toppled to create obstacles. They cannot stop the North Korean advance, but they can hold the enemy back so that the South can establish an effective defensive position.

If North Korea were to attack across the border, the South Korean military would have to find a way to stop it right at the front line. The capital Seoul is only about 56 kilometers from the DMZ, making it possible for a small infiltration force to reach the outskirts of the city. The South Korean military at the border would likely be outnumbered, but would have the advantage in firepower thanks to modern military technology.

A fight in the DMZ would be fierce. However, in the long run, the US-ROK alliance would gain the advantage thanks to the support of US naval, land and air units stationed around the Korean Peninsula.

The DMZ is home to the world’s most heavily armed military and weapons installations. This would turn the 4km wide, 260km long strip of land into one of the bloodiest battlefields of all time if conflict broke out, Mizokami stressed.

According to VNE