5th Division ( North Korea ) The 5th Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People ' s Army during the 20th century . It was activated at Nanam , North Korea , during the early part of August 1949 , composed of Korean veterans of the Chinese Communist 8th Route Army ’ s 164th Division , which had been stationed in the old Manchurian capital city of Changchun until July 1949 . All non - Korean troops of the 164th CCF Division were transferred to other Chinese Communist organizations in July 1949 and in their place , the division began to receive Korean soldiers from various other units of the Chinese Communist Forces . During the latter part of July 1949 , the 164th Division , with a strength of approximately 7 , 500 men , was allegedly transferred by railroad from Changchun to Nanam , where it was integrated into the expanding North Korean Army and redesignated the 5th Division . History . Around mid - February 1950 the Division began to receive new recruits , numbering approximately 1 , 000 men between the ages of 18 and 26 years , until it got up to full strength . On June 19 , 1950 , leading elements of the division were said to have departed Nanam by rail for Yangyang , where they arrived by June 23 ; by June 25 the movement of the division ’ s combat elements had been completed . The 10th Regiment , which was the first to assemble at Yangyang , allegedly departed south immediately after its arrival and backpacked into the vicinity of the 38th Parallel . It was followed in short order by the other two infantry regiments and on the night of June 24 , the 5th Division , with the exception of a few rear echelon units still en route , was reportedly deployed along the 38th Parallel south of Yangyang . At approximately 0500 hours on June 25 , 1950 , the 5th Division lunged across the 38th Parallel in an offensive down the main road that parallels Korea ' s rugged east coast . The division ' s drive was allegedly supported by the 766th Independent Infantry Regiment , an organization with a strength of 1 , 500 men which appears to have been part of a larger amphibious force under the direct control of the North Korean Army ' s General headquarters in Pyongyang . The 5th Division in two weeks of heavy battles forged its way toward Yongdok and finally captured the town on or about August 3 , after sustaining prohibitive casualties . During the siege , the 10th Regiment allegedly pressed the attack from the west and fought its way into the outskirts two or three times , but was forced to withdraw each time under withering artillery and small - arms fire . In its drive on Yongdok the division is said to have been subjected to almost constant bombardment from UN aircraft and naval vessels ; even at night the troops were apparently not given any respite , for prisoners complained that artillery opened up with heavy fire after the naval and air attacks ceased . To illustrate the terrific casualties that the division sustained in these battles , one POW related that in a single naval barrage 700 men were killed and huge stores of supplies and equipment were destroyed . Altogether the 5th Division is estimated to have suffered a 40 % reduction in strength in the battle for Yongdok . For the next few days the division remained in Yongdok to reorganize and receive replacements . Approximately 1 , 200 new men were reportedly assigned to the three infantry regiments , bringing them up to about 50 % of strength . These replacements were all North Koreans with about three weeks training who had been marching for fully 15 days before joining the division . By August 12 , the 5th Division had pressed to Pohang - dong and also threatened Yonil Airfield . The Division had cut off the ROK 3rd Division above Pohang - dong , and the 3rd Division had to be evacuated by sea to positions farther south . After a two - day artillery barrage , the division purportedly attacked Pohang - dong with all three regiments committed , and occupied the town on August 20 , 1950 , after a fierce engagement that resulted in heavy casualties , most of which were caused by intense artillery fire . While in the city , the troops are reported to have been subjected to constant air and artillery bombardment . On or about August 23 , 1950 , American and ROK troops launched a counterattack , which forced the division to withdraw about 5 miles to the north and received such heavy casualties that its strength was reduced to about 4 , 000 men . From August 23 to September 3 , the division reportedly remained in defensive positions just north of Pohang - dong . During this period approximately 3 , 000 replacements were received , most of whom were conscripted from South Korea and assigned to the division without any previous military training . Because of the general shortage of weapons , many of these men were only issued grenades and instructed to pick up the rifles of their comrades as they fell on the battlefield . On September 3 , the division resumed its attack with the objective of taking Pohang - dong and the Yonil Airfield south of the town . By the following day the 5th Division succeeded in breaking through the outer defenses of UN forces and fought ferociously through a hail of artillery and small - arms fire . They finally entered the town on September 6 , but before they could consolidate their gains the UN forces counterattacked and once again forced the division to withdraw and take up defensive positions just north of the town . For several days they fought an artillery duel and sent out combat patrols . Late in the evening of the September 11 , the division advanced toward the southwest , skirting the outer fringes of the UN defenses , and deployed along the high ground overlooking Pohang - dong for another assault on the town . The 11th and 12th Regiments were poised foro an attack from the west , while the 10th Regiment occupied assault positions approximately 2 . 5 miles southwest of Pohang - dong . During the night large amounts of ammunition were carried to gun positions and last - minute preparations were made . On September 12 , 1950 , UN forces began laying a heavy artillery concentration on positions held by the 10th Regiment and later in the day the 11th and 12th Regiments were likewise engaged by artillery . Soon after , all three regiments were attacked heavily by UN aircraft which wrought considerable damage and disrupted all plans for the attack . Beginning on September 14 , 1950 , the division was ordered to withdraw from their heavily - shelled positions and to regroup in the vicinity of Chongha . When the last elements had withdrawn to the assembly area by September 16 , the division was deployed along the Tosong - Dong - Chongha road in well dug - in positions designed primarily to afford protection against the dreaded air attacks which only the day before had blown up the entire ammunition dump of the division artillery . Since the division had been reduced to approximately 50 % of its original strength by this time , it remained in this locality , reorganizing and receiving replacements totalling about 1 , 200 men . On September 21 , 1950 , the 5th Division was hit by the full weight of the all - out UN offensive launched in coordination with the successful amphibious operation at Inchon . After the UN breakout from the Pusan Perimeter , fierce battles were fought in the harbor village of Pohang - dong between the ROK 3rd Division and the 5th Division . The 3rd finally captured the village during the morning of 20 September . They continued to attack aggressively , and on September 22 , 1950 , forced a disorderly withdrawal by the 5th toward Yongdok , where they were once more taken under heavy fire by UN naval vessels . Under orders to withdraw farther north the division left Yongdok on about September 24 with a remaining strength of about 2 , 400 men . Marching in groups of platoon size and maintaining intervals of about 5 miles between regiments during daytime , the division retraced its route of advance along the coast and arrived at Anbyon on about November 3 , 1950 . While retreating , several bands of stragglers joined the column en route , boosting its strength to approximately 3 , 000 men . On October 26 , three battalions of the 5th Division had silently crept close to the hill positions of the 1st Battalion , 1st Marine Regiment , guarding a supply dump near Kojo . They attacked so swiftly at one platoon position that fifteen marines were killed there - seven in their sleeping bags . Before noon of the 28th , the 5th Division moved off west into the hills and the fight was over . The marines recovered their dead and counted their losses - 27 killed , 39 wounded and 3 missing . The division arrived in Cheongpyeong on November 8 , 1950 , and after joining forces with remnants of the 2nd Division , appears to have proceeded , through Hamhung where it swung inland , finally proceeding north along a road that parallels the Tabdong River . On November 18 , elements of the greatly diminished 5th Division , with a remaining strength of only 500 troops were seen passing through Sachang - ni moving in a northerly direction . Composition . The 5th Infantry Division was composed of the 10th Infantry Regiment , 11th Infantry Regiment , 12th Infantry Regiment , 5th Artillery Regiment and various unidentified support units .