North Korea

'This article is about the faction and map location in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. '

Background
North Korea, the commonly used short name for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a nation located in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula, bordering South Korea to the south, China to the north and Russia to the extreme north east. North and South Korea have been split since the end of World War II and tensions between them have been tense. The current leader is Kim Jong-Il, heir to his father and the first president Kim Il-Sung. North Korea is largely regarded as a Stalinist dictatorship, with elements of a "Cult of Personality".

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
In the game, the history of North Korea is somewhat different. It has a president, something that hasn't happened since 1994, when Kim-Il Sung died. In the years preceding Mercenaries (2009), North Korea consolidates its military power and strengthens its ties with terrorists. In 2009, North Korea attempts to reach out to the world in peace, but Choi Song, the President's son, seizes power in North Korea and turns it into an isolated state.For more info on this pivotal event refer to the Song Initiative page.

The Korean People's Army (KPA)
North Korea (specifically, its military) is one of five factions in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction as well as the setting for the majority of the game (some sections of the Northern Province are in China). The North Koreans are the main enemy in the game. They are always hostile towards the player throughout the game and will attack the player on sight. The N.K. Army is led by the ruthless Choi Song, who at first is believed to have killed his father, Choi Kim to seize power over the nation. He and his army want dominance over most of Asia, and will stop at nothing for victory. This is made even more dangerous once it is discovered he has a stockpile of nuclear weapons, and the capabilities to deliver them anywhere on Earth. While exploring the map the player will mostly encounter N.K. Forces in numerous places. They are the most abundant group in the entire game. The North Koreans also have access to powerful vehicles such as Heavy Tanks, APCs, and Helicopter Gunships. Despite all this they can be considered the least technologically-advanced faction in the game, mostly using equipment from the days of the Cold War.

KPA Soldier Classes
The KPA have a basic variety of troops in Playground of Destruction.
 * Regulars - The basic KPA soldier wears a brown uniform and round, ushanka-style hat and numerous NK insignias on their shoulders, collars and chest. They are almost always seen using the Type-56 but sometimes they can be seen using Dragunov Sniper Rifles and Anti-Material Rifles.


 * Heavies - The Heavy KPA soldier is similar in appearance to the regular soldier but mainly use the RPG and are sometimes also seen using an anti-air missile launcher. The primary aesthetic difference compared to the regulars is a different hat, boots with their pants tucked in, and a large, black backpack used to store their ammo.


 * Special Forces - Next is the NK Elite, very few are seen in the southern province and are only encountered during Ace contracts; however, in the Northern Province they are much more common. They wear a different, special forces-style outfit which consists of a brown, light-weight winter type uniform, a protective vest around the torso, black beanies and dark, striped face-paint. They mostly use the RPD, but can also be seen using RPGs, anti-air rockets and sniper rifles. They are very strong and much harder to take down, taking twice the amount of shots compared to regulars.


 * Officers - NK Officers are the highest ranked non-Deck of 52 members of the KPA. They wear a uniform similar to the regular troops but much more detailed with many more medals and badges located on the chest and a captain-style hat. They almost always use the Type-85 and take more damage to kill than regular soldiers, but less than an elite.


 * Undercover Soldiers - The last, and definitely most rare, are the Undercover KPA soldiers. These soldiers are only seen in a few contracts and use the same range of weapons as the Elites but are dressed in full civilian clothing. Their armour can vary; some are killed easily, some are much tougher.