XI Corps (North Korea)

XI Corps
Active	January 1969–present
Country	Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Allegiance	Workers' Party of Korea
Branch	Korean People's Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Classified
Part of	Korean People's Army Ground Force
Garrison/HQ	Tokchon
Nicknames	Old Special 8th Legion, Old Alert Map Bureau, 4th Army Corps, Unit 630 Unit
Engagements	Russian invasion of Ukraine (Per Ukraine) Kursk offensive (2024–2025) (Per Ukraine)

The XI Corps (also known as Storm Corps), are a corps of the Korean People's Army and an elite unit of the North Korean Special Forces. It is stationed in Tokchon, South Pyongan Province. ^[1]

History

The 17th Reconnaissance Brigade merged with the 124th Army and 283th Army of the National Security Agency's Reconnaissance Division, to form the Special 8th Army in January 1969. ^[2]

The Special 8th Army Corps was centered on Unit 124, which carried out the Blue House raid in 1968. In 1983, North Korea reorganized the unit into Light Infantry Training and Guidance Bureau. Then they merged other special forces and reorganized it to create the Storm Corps or 11th Corps in 1991.

In 2020, members of the Corps were sent to the Sino-DPRK border area of Ryanggang Province to combat smuggling and other "anti-state" activities. ^[3] In 2025, it was reported that the North Korean infantry, deployed to the Kursk front of the Russo-Ukrainian War, consisted of 4 brigades from the North Korean 11th Corps. ^[4]

Known units

• 16th Sniper Brigade
• 38th Aviation Army Brigade in Sangwon County, Pyongyang
• 43rd Mountain Army Infantry Sniper Brigade-5 battalions, Kapsan County, Hyesan, Ryanggang-do
• Unit 124, a special operations unit that was involved in the 1968 Blue House raid ^[3]

See also

• Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces

References

1. Mitzer & Oliemans (2020), p. 83.
2. "국방 사건사" (PDF). Imhc.mil.kr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
3. "North Korea Sends Special Forces to Ryanggang Province Border With China". Radio Free Asia. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
4. John Hardie (31 January 2025). "North Korean troops pull back in Kursk as Pyongyang prepares fresh deployment, officials say". FDD's Long War Journal . Retrieved 31 January 2025.

Bibliography

• Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (2020). The Armed Forces of North Korea: On the Path of Songun. Helion and Company. ISBN   978-1910777145.