page_title: Tanks of North Korea
section_title: Korean War
hierarchical_section_title: Tanks of North Korea / Overview / Korean War
caption_attribution_description: English: A Soviet-made North Korean T-34 tank knocked out during the United Nations advance from Incheon to Seoul after the amphibious landings at Incheon during the Korean War.
context_page_description: The history and development of the tank in North Korea spans the period from their adoption after World War II with the foundation of the Korean People's Army, into the Cold War and the present. Over this period North Korea has moved from being an operator of Soviet-designed and produced tanks to being the manufacturer of its own tanks.
context_section_description: Before the outbreak of the Korean War, Joseph Stalin equipped the KPA with over 200 modern tanks such as the T-34, as well as trucks, artillery, and small arms (at the time, the South Korean Army had nothing remotely comparable either in numbers of troops or equipment). During the opening phases of the Korean War in 1950, the KPA quickly drove South Korean forces south and captured Seoul, with the tanks having little in the way of opposing tanks.
  The North Koreans tanks supported by heavy artillery attacked all along the 38th parallel. The South Koreans did not have any tanks, anti-tank weapons, nor heavy artillery, that could stop such an attack. In addition, South Koreans committed their forces in a piecemeal fashion and these were routed within a few days. In early July, when U.S. forces arrived, what was left of the South Korean forces were placed under U.S. operational command of the United Nations Command.
  During the Korean War, the tanks of North Korean 105th Armored Division was instrument as part of the North Korean advance from Seoul to Taejon and took part in the Battle of Osan against Task Force Smith and Battle of Chonan and subsequent Battle of Pusan Perimeter between August and September 1950. The 107th Tank Regiment, equipped with T-34 tanks, defeated Task Force Smith during the initial advances of the Korean People's Army. The regiment then fought with the rest of the division in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter.
  It wasn't until U.S. forces armed with M4 Sherman medium tanks came into the Pusan port and later M26 Pershing tanks in the autumn after U.S. amphibious landings at the Battle of Incheon were North Korean tank forces to meet their match and be pushed back on the subsequent drive to the Yalu River.
  After taking part in the Great Naktong Offensive, the 105th Armored Division was partly reconstituted and at the end of October and the first week of November 1950, it was committed to help the Chinese and used its tanks to provide fire support.
  In the Korean War M24 Chaffee's were the first U.S. tanks to fight the North Korean T-34-85s. The M24 fared poorly against these North Korean tanks which were superior to the M24. M24s were more successful later in the war in their reconnaissance role, supported by heavier tanks such as the M4, M26, and M46.
  The heavier but older M26 Pershing was deemed unsatisfactory due to its inferior mobility, which was unsuitable for a medium tank role as it used the same engine that powered the much lighter M4 Sherman, and in November, 1949, the upgraded M26 received a new power plant and a main gun with bore evacuator, and the M46 Patton designation. Less than a thousand were upgraded to M46 standard.
  On 8 August 1950 the first M46 Pattons landed in South Korea and faced the North Korean tanks. The tank proved superior to the much lighter North Korean T-34-85, which were encountered in relatively small numbers. By the end of 1950, 200 M46 Pattons had been fielded, forming about 15% of US tank strength in Korea; the balance of 1,326 tanks shipped to Korea during 1950 were 679 M4A3 Shermans (including the M4A3E8 variant), 309 M26 Pershings, and 138 M24 Chaffee light tanks. Subsequent shipments of M46 and M46A1 Pattons allowed all remaining M26 Pershings to be withdrawn during 1951, and most Sherman equipped units were also reequipped.
  British tanks also opposed the North Korean tanks, the Centurion tank with Cromwell tanks for reconnaissance, arrived in Korea in last months of 1950.  The Centurions covered the retreat at the battle of the Imjin River with the tanks from C Squadron, 8th Hussars, under the command of Major Henry Huth and by 55 Squadron, Royal Engineers. The section of the UN line where the battle took place was defended primarily by British forces of the 29th Infantry Brigade, consisting of three British and one Belgian infantry battalions (Belgian United Nations Command) supported by the tanks and artillery. Despite facing a greatly superior enemy numerically, the brigade held its general positions for three days. When the units of the 29th Infantry Brigade we
caption: Knocked-out North Korean T-34/85s on a road from Incheon to Seoul during the Korean War in September 1950, after the US-led amphibious landings at Inchon. At least two penetrating hits can be seen on the front of the nearest T-34/85.
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