Democratic Republic of Congo

Article (Spring 2000)

North Korean Officers Train Congolese Special Forces

A special forces unit that is being formed in the Democratic Republic of Congo may be receiving training from North Korean officers. The new unit, the 10th Special Infantry Brigade, consists of several thousand troops and supposedly has a combined-arms composition -- including reconnaissance, infantry, and artillery elements. The unit's primary purpose will be to fight rebel forces that have been active for the last two years in a conflict that now involves several neighboring states. A television program featuring the graduation of 10th-brigade soldiers showed a number of North Korean officers in attendance.