Other Names: Military Preventive Medical Unit (軍事豫防醫療部隊)
Location: Unknown
Subordinate to: 5th Machine Industry Bureau (第5機械總局), Second Economic Committee (第2經濟委員會), National Defense Commission (國防委員會)
Primary Function: Production of biological warfare (BW) agents
Description: Following Kim Il Sung’s November 1980 order to develop biological and chemical weapons, North Korea accelerated its biological weapons development at the Preventive Military Medical Unit, the Party Central Biological Research Institute (黨中央生物硏究所), and the No. 25 Factory. According to a 1992 report by South Korea’s Agency for National Security Planning (國家安全企劃部), North Korea produces 13 types of BW agents such as bacillus anthracis (anthrax), cholera, typhoid bacillus and plague bacteria at these three facilities. The report says that these BW agents are sent to the Munch’ŏn Agar Factory (文川寒天工場) for weaponization.
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Updated August 2003 |
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Key Sources:
Kim In, “Segyeŭi hwahangmugi/Pukhanjung’il In Tŭng 25 Kuk Kukpiboyu,” Chosun Ilbo, 22 March 1995, p. 2, in KINDS <http://www.kinds.or.kr>; Kim Wŏn Pong and Osamu Mitsuhuji, Saishin Chosenhanto Gunjijohono Zenbo (Tokyo: Kodansya, 2000) p. 52; “Ch’ejewigishi ‘Taenam Chŏllyakkadŭ’ Ro Hwalyong/Pukhan saenghwahangmugi Shiljŏnbaech’I Sanghwang,” Segye Ilbo, 24 October 1992, p. 5, in KINDS <http://www.kinds.or.kr>; Ha T’ae Wŏn, “Pukhan Kunsugiŏp 130 Yŏgae…Hwahangmugi 9 Kosesŏ Saengsan,” Donga Ilbo, 5 February 2001, p. 1, in KINDS <http://www.kinds.or.kr>.
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