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North Korea’s Military Behavior in 2024 and Choices for 2025
Yang Uk
4632025.02.10
At the beginning of 2024, Kim Jong Un abandoned the concept of unification based on nationalism and introduced the two-state theory, raising expectations of intensified offensives against South Korea. Throughout 2024, North Korea continued its offensive against South Korea by mixing strategic provocations with low-intensity provocations; however, the intensity of these provocations fell short of expectations. In the first half of 2024, North Korea carried out numerous strategic provocations, while in the second half, its military activities shifted to focus on low-intensity provocations against South Korea and participation in the Ukraine war. In other words, from the latter half of 2024, North Korea appears to have opted to maintain limited tensions through low-intensity provocations rather than actively creating high levels of tension.
This article is an English Summary of Asan Issue Brief (2025-04).
(‘북한의 2024년 군사동향과 2025년의 선택’)
Yang Uk
Research Fellow, Director
As an expert in military strategy and weapons systems, Dr. Yang Uk has been active in the defense industry and private military enterprises for over 20 years, and founded and operated IntelEdge Inc., one of the first private military companies in Korea. Since leaving the company, he has commented on various military issues and international conflicts through broadcasting and news media, and has written various writings on weapon systems and military history. He obtained a doctorate in military strategy from Korea National Defense University (KNDU), and has analyzed North Korea's military strategy and WMD programs as a senior research fellow and the director of the WMD Center at the Korea Defense Security Forum (KODEF). He has been an active member of the policy advisory committee of Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Joint Chief of Staff, Ministry of National Defense, and Office of National Security. Currently, he continues his research and advisory activities to each military service and government agency, teaching military revolution and modern conflicts at Korea Military Academy and Graduate School of National Defense Strategy of Hannam University.
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