North Korea: The devastating artillery factor

Last month, a poll showed that a majority of Americans are in favour of military action against North Korea for the first time. Should diplomatic efforts fail, there is no doubt that the United States has the means to successfully strike Pyongyang's nuclear infrastructure. However, a retaliatory strike by North Korea is very likely, and even if this is carried out by one of the intercontinental ballistic missiles regime, the country's conventional artillery is extremely powerful and also poses a major threat.
Although a large part of the North Korean military consists of obsolete Soviet equipment from the Cold War era, the artillery command of the North Korean People's Army has around 12,000 tube artillery pieces and a further 2,300 multiple rocket systems. Some of these systems are capable of hitting Seoul, although it is assumed that the northern outskirts of the city would primarily come under fire in the event of hostilities. Some studies predict the destruction of the South Korean capital in the event of war, although it is more likely that some parts of the city will be severely damaged and the civilian population harmed.
The initial choice ofDestination through North Korea would prove decisive in any conflict. The regime could choose to attack military targets beyond the DMZ or deal a hammer blow to South Korea through massive civilian casualties and economic damage. In the latter strategy, the North's artillery installations would be vulnerable to US and South Korean counter-barrage or air strikes.
The following infographic is based on Investigations by Stratfor and shows how concentrated North Korean artillery fire could be in a new conflict on the peninsula. The scenario takes into account the known and expected positions of North Korean artillery batteries and assumes a situation in which all North Korean systems are fired upon simultaneously and without failures. The area close to the border could be penetrated by North Korean shells, while parts of Seoul and Incheon airport would also fall within the range of some of Pyongyang's systems.
The attack on Yeonpyeong Island in 2010 showed the danger posed by North Korean artillery. In this incident, North Korean shells hit a South Korean island, killing four people and injuring 19 others. Should the USA decide to attack Pyongyang's nuclear facilities, the regime's artillery will ensure that it can play a devastating retaliation card in a war.
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