Battle of Kaesong–Munsan

Battle of Kaesong–Munsan–Bongilcheon
Part of the Korean War
Operation Pokpung (North Korea)
Operation Western Region (South Korea)
Date25–28 June 1950
Location
Yonan, Kaesong, Munsan, Bongilcheon
Result KPA victory
Successful ROK withdrawal
Belligerents
 Democratic People's Republic of Korea  Republic of Korea
Commanders and leaders
  • North Korea Choe Kwang
    (1st Infantry Division)
  • North Korea Kim Yang-chun
    (2nd Infantry Regiment)
  • North Korea Lee Chang-kwon
    (3rd Infantry Regiment)
  • North Korea Hwang Sok
    (14th Infantry Regiment)
  • North Korea Hyon Hak-pong
    (div artillery regiment)
  • North Korea Pang Ho-san
    (6th Infantry Division)
  • North Korea Han Il-rae
    (13th Infantry Regiment)
  • North Korea Cho Kwan
    (15th Infantry Regiment)
  • North Korea Lee Min
    (div artillery regiment)
  • North Korea Choe Yul-sok
    (203rd Armored Regiment)
  • North Korea Choe Hyon
    (3rd 38-Guard Brigade)
  • South Korea Paik Sun-yup
    (1st Infantry Division)
  • South Korea Choe Gyeong-rok
    (11th Infantry Regiment)
  • South Korea Jeon Seong-ho
    (12th Infantry Regiment)
  • South Korea Kim Jeom-gon
    (12th Infantry Regiment)
  • South Korea Kim Ik-ryeol
    (13th Infantry Regiment)
  • South Korea Noh Jae-hyeon
    (6th Artillery Battalion)
  • South Korea Choe Yeong-hui
    (15th Infantry Regiment)
  • South Korea Yu Hae-jun
    (Seoul Special Regiment)
Strength
  • North Korea 1st Infantry Division
  • North Korea 6th Infantry Division
    (-1 regiment)
  • North Korea 203rd Armored Regiment
  • North Korea 3rd 38-Guard Brigade
    (-5 battalions)
  • South Korea 1st Infantry Division
  • South Korea 15th Infantry Regiment
  • South Korea Seoul Special Regiment

The Battle of Kaesong–Munsan–Bongilcheon (Hangul: 개성–문산–봉일천 전투; Hanja: 開城–汶山–奉日川 戰鬪) was a series of battles that occurred along the western region of the 38th parallel between 25 and 28 June 1950, and it was a part of the Operation Pokpoong (North Korea) and Operation Western Region (South Korea) that marked the beginning of the Korean War. On 25 June, the 1st Infantry and the 6th Infantry Division, supported by the 203rd Armored Regiment and the 3rd 38-Guard Brigade, of the Korean People's Army Ground Force (KPAGF) I Corps launched a surprise supporting attack on the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) 1st Infantry Division to surround Seoul from the west while the KPA I Corps main attack concurred in the west central region of the 38th parallel defended by the ROK 7th Infantry Division.[1][2]

Prelude

North Korea

Korean People's Army Ground Force[1]

  • 1st Infantry Division - Brigadier General Choe Kwang
    • 2nd Infantry Regiment - Colonel Kim Yang-chun
    • 3rd Infantry Regiment - Colonel Lee Chang-kwon
    • 14th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Hwang Sok
    • Divisional Artillery Regiment - Colonel Hyon Hak-pong
  • 6th Infantry Division - Brigadier General Pang Ho-san
    • 1st Infantry Regiment - Colonel Kim Hu-chin
    • 13th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Han Il-rae
    • 15th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Cho Kwan
    • Divisional Artillery Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Lee Min

South Korea

Due to the reorganisation of the Republic of Korea Army, the quality of training of the ROK 1st Infantry Division was lower than that of other divisions. The 11th Infantry Regiment and the 12th Infantry Regiment just began battalion-sized training; only 2 battalions from the 13th Infantry Regiment were at the last phase of the training, and 1 battalion was sent away for the field training.[3]

In addition, 57% of the soldiers were given leave on June 24. Under the circumstances, the 12th Infantry Regiment had to defend 80 km frontline with only 800 troops. Moreover, heavy firearms and vehicles were sent to the rear for reorganization, and the division commander Paik Sun-yup was absent at the scene for training since June 14.[3]

Republic of Korea Army[1]

  • 1st Infantry Division - Colonel Paik Sun-yup
    • 11th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Choe Kyung-rok
    • 12th Infantry Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jeom-gon
    • 13th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Kim Ik-ryeol

References

  1. ^ a b c Yang, Yeong-jo; Nam, Jeong-ok; Son, Gyu-seok; Bak, Dong-chan (2005-12-12). "6.25 전쟁사 2 (The History of the Korean War Book 2)" (PDF). Institute for Military History, MND (in Korean). Institute for Military History, Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea. ISSN 1739-2705.
  2. ^ Korea Institute of Military History (1 January 2000). The Korean War. U of Nebraska Press. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-8032-7794-6. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  3. ^ a b "개성-문산지구 전투". Korean History Information Center. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01.

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