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
 North Korea  South 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
    (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
    (artillery regiment)
  • North Korea Choe Yul-sok
    (203rd Armored Regiment)
  • North Korea Choe Hyon
    (3rd 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 Guard Brigade
    (-5 battalions)
  • South Korea 1st Infantry Division
  • South Korea 15th Infantry Regiment
  • South Korea Seoul Special Regiment

The Battle of Kaesong-Munsan (Hangul:개성, 문산 전투; Hanja:開城 汶山 戰鬪) was a part of Operation Pokpoong, the offensive by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that marked the beginning of the Korean War.[1]

Order of battle

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

  • 1st Infantry Division - Brigadier General Choe Kwang
    • 1st Infantry Regiment - Colonel Hwang Seok
    • 2nd Infantry Regiment - Colonel Kim Yang-choon
    • 3rd Infantry Regiment - Senior Colonel Lee Chang-kwon
  • 6th Infantry Division - Brigadier General Bang Ho-san
    • 13th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Kim Hoo-jin
    • 14th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Han Il-rae
    • 15th Infantry Regiment - Colonel Kim Hyun-ki

Republic of Korea

  • 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

Prelude

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.[2]

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.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. 1 2 "개성-문산지구 전투". Korean History Information Center. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01.

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