N. Korea deploys armored vehicle unit to central Pyongyang
02-15-2011



An armored vehicle unit belonging to the Guard Command for North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has been deployed in central Pyongyang, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported Tuesday.

A North Korean defector using the alias Kim Jeong-mi said, “A battalion of about 50 armored vehicles was located behind the Munheung Middle and High School in the Daedong-gang district. The unit conducts field exercises once a year,” according to the report.

RFA did not rule out the possibility of the communist state deploying such a unit to the central part of the capital to cope with possible anti-regime riots.

The defector, who lived in Pyongyang until recently, said, “The armored vehicles conducted exercises at night, thus generating noise which disturbs people’s sleep. After the mid-1990s, it was difficult to conduct exercises because of a lack of oil.”

Kim said, “Outsiders cannot access the armored vehicle unit as it is designated a special unit. The armored vehicles have not been seen much as they are kept underground.”

In addition, the defector said, there were armored vehicles at the foot of Moran-bong Peak.

A satellite photograph from Google Earth shows the area with spacious grounds near Munheung school, but failed to detect anything special near Moran-bong Peak, RFA said.

koreatimes.co.kr