PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF BLACK SHIELD MISSION 6847 OVER NORTH KOREA

Created: 1/29/1968

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: Preliminary Assessment of BLACK SIIILLD7 over North Korea

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BLACK SHIELD flown over North Korea onbtained phot oq raj

' fjfjfjjsj cove rage was obtained of both NorthROK military forces and activity along the DMZ.

No North Korean ground forces build-up was observed in or near the DMZ. The North Korean surface-to-air missile defenses appear to be igh state of readiness. The USS Pueblo was anchored in an inlet in Wonsan Bay, attended by two North Korean patrol boats and guarded by three Komars.

Tnis memorandum was prepared by tho Directorate

of Intelligence

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1. The Pueblo is at an offshore anchoragemall, isolated bay north of Wonsan with two North Korean patrol boats anchored alongside. No damage to the Pueblo is discernible. There is no evidence of activity around the Pueblo, with the exception of the two patrol boats.

Ground Forces

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7. Ground force activity along the DMZ and northward as far as the center of the country looked normal, and no major concentrations of forces or significant movements were seen. The North Koreanside of the DMZ, however, contains large numbers of tunnels, caves, and underground facilities which make determination of force and equipment levels

3. Along the ROK side of the DMZ there was more evidence of vehicle movements and equipment concentrations, in contrast to the highly dispersed, fairly static, and largely underground dispositions on the North Korean side.

Air Forces

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4. Eight of the moat important of the IS North Korean mi litary* airfields were covered-by this mission ond aircraft dispositions were in accord withestimates. The number of fighter aircraft seen was in some instances below the present order of battle, but many aircraft were probably concealed in the extensive system of underground hangars.

:userage snipping crates--probably for theresco--were seen. If these crates were delivered recently, their delivory wouldew dimension to the current aircraft procurement program of

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Korea, which has been re-equipping withre advancedishbed supplied by the USSR. There has been no evidence of an emergency delivery since the current crisis began,

6, The mainet light bomber base at Uiju near the Chinese border was not covered, but there is no evidence that any of these aircraft have deployed toward the DMZ. The normal complement ofas seen at Sunan near Pyongyang, the otherase.

Naval Activity

7* About half of North Korea's naval force was seen oy this mission. No unusual vesselor build-ups were seen along the southern half of the east and west coasts.

Seven of North Korea's eight Komar guided-missile patrol boats were in their normal operating area near Wonsan, three of them apparently guarding the small bay where Pueblo is anchored.

A new support base for the Komar squadron and its Styx missiles was identifiedeninsula in the Wonsan area. The base consists of asupport facility, docking areas for the boats, and underground storage. As many as tyxcrates can be seen in the missile support area. The docking areaierea-level tunnel. The sea-level tunnel is probably theto an underground dock large enough for Komar boats. assageway through the ice to the tunnel has been kept clear. Por the past couple of years the North Koreans have been particularly sensitive to air reconnaissance of this general area,

mission provided no major the naval order-of-battle in the areasthe excoption of the presence of twotorpedo boats in the Wonsan area. The is the most modern Soviet torpedo boat, vessels were probably supplied by the USSRof its military aid program to North Korea.

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11. Tholass torpedo ai.ack subr.arir.es in tin* North Korean Navyt seen.

Railway and Road Activity

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from the DMZ northward discloses no evidence of unusual movements or major troop or supply build-ups. Immediately north of the DMZ no unusual truckwere on tho major roads and the level ofin the rail yards at the southern termini of the lines was; normal.

to the north, in theof North Korea, more road and railobserved. The amount of rail activity onlines and in the principal rail yards isnormal, however, and is probablyeconomic and industrial needs. Roadalso appears to be at normal levels. No rail or road activity was evident in the Won-

san area.

Surface-tp-Air Missile Defenses

North Korean surface-to-air sites are probably completely operationalto beigh state of readiness. thenown sites were covered, andobserved at all sites. One to threeon launchers at all but one of the sites,were clear of snow. No new sites haveso far. The SAM support area atalso covered, but no unusual activity was noted.

Coastal Defense Cruise Missiles

known Samlet coastal defensesite at Nampo on the west coast wassome vehicles were observed. Disruptivehas been used to camouflage some of the Across the bay on the northern side acruise missile site was newlyphotography shows that this site has been there

since5 and no equipment has been observed,that it is inactive. No other coastalcruise missile sites tiave been identified in North Korea.

Industry and Transportation

16. Extensive coverage was obtained of North Korea's major industrial complexes and major transportationrail, andthe southern half of the country. All thecomplexes examined were active, but there is no unusual activity. North Korea's majorstorage facilities were not covered by this mission, but the smaller sites in the southern part of tho country show no evidence of recent expansion or unusual activity. None of the five North Korean merchant ships can be identified in the ports cov-

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Original document.

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