Location: Kusŏng (龜城市), North P'yŏng'an Province (平安北道), North Korea

Subordinate to: Ministry of Metals and Machine-Building Industries (金屬機械工業省)

Size: Floor space of 37,000 square meters and 5,000 workers; floor space of 28,000 square meters for numerical control machine tool factory, which is known as the "Kusŏng 104 Factory" (龜城 104號工場)

Primary Function: Production of machine tools and vehicle parts

Description: The Kusŏng Machine Tool Factory produces a number of machine tools that could be applied to missile production and assembly. This factory was selected as a "model of automation" for other plants in 2001, and has subsequently been "modernized" or upgraded. National Defense Commission Chairman visited the Kusŏng Machine Tool Factory in late January 2000 and on 14 February 2001 to provide "on-the-spot guidance" and stressed the need for factory automation.

The Control Machine Research Institute (操縱機械硏究所), under the National Academy of Sciences, developed Korean programs for numerical-controlled devices that were installed at the plant in 2000. The Kusŏng Machine Tool Factory also has a Design Office. One of its senior design engineers, Ch'oe Un Ch'ae, led the research on the development of the "Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) Lathe Kusŏng-10," which was displayed at a North Korean science and technology exhibition in April 2001. The Computer Engineering College at the Kim Ch'aek University of Technology has been providing support to "computerize" the factory, probably in conjunction with its educational objectives.

The following are some examples of machine tools, and their specifications, produced at the Kusŏng Machine Tool Factory.

	Updated April 2003

Key Sources:
Hyundai Research Institute, "[Kigyesan'ŏp]," (no date), <http://www.nk-infobank.com/>; Foreign Trade of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 1 January 2002, pp. 2-5, in "DPRK Exporting Various CNC Machine Tools," FBIS Document ID KPP20020326000117; "Kim Jong Il Gives On-the-Spot Guidance," Korean Central News Agency, 30 January 2000, <http://www.kcna.co.jp/>; "Kim Jong Il Ch'ongbisŏ P'yŏng'anbukdonae Kong'ŏppumun'ŭl Hyŏnjijido," Korean Central News Agency, 30 January 2000, <http://www.kcna.co.jp/>; "4 Wŏl 3 Il Kongjang," Yonhap News Agency, 2000, <http://www2.yonhapnews.co.kr/>; Yonhap News Agency, Pukhanyŏn'gam 2002 (Seoul: Yonhap News Agency, 2001), Rodong Sinmun, 16 May 2001, in "DPRK Daily Reports on Result of Science, Technology Exhibition," FBIS Document ID Kpp20010604000062; Kim Tu Hwan, "Puk, Such'ijeŏjangch'i Kuksanhwa'e Churyŏk," Yonhap News Agency, 6 March 2002, <http://www3.yonhapnews.net/>; ROK National Intelligence Service, "Pukhan, Kwahag'wŏn Sanha Kak Yŏn'gusodŭl'ŭi Yŏn'gusaŏp Sŏnggwa Sŏnjŏn," 11 January 2001, <http://www.nis.go.kr/>; Lee Chae Sŭng, "Pukhan'ŭi 6 Kae Kwŏn'yŏkpyŏl Kong'ŏppaech'i Hyŏnhwang," Segye Ilbo, 22 July 1992, p. 12, in KINDS, <http://www.kinds.or.kr/ >; Korea Today, 1 November 2001, pp. 18-20, in "DPRK Exhibition Hall Showcases Heavy Industry--Graphics Attached," FBIS Document ID KPP20011226000094; Kim Yong Yun, Tong'il Kyongje, 15 January 2002, pp. 52-68, in "ROK Researcher Examines Technological Development in North Korea," FBIS Document ID KPP20020213000068; Kang T'ae Ho, "58 Nyŏn Hwamulch'a Ch'ŏt Choripsaengsan/Chadongch'asan'ŏp (Pukhan'gyŏngje)," Hankyoreh Shinmun, 16 November 1993, p. 8, in KINDS, <http://www.kinds.or.kr/>; Korea Today, 1 October 2000, p. 33, in "DPRK Institute Develops Numerical Control Devices," FBIS Document ID KPP20001107000094; Rodong Sinmun, 22 August 2000, in "DPRK Control Machine Institute, Other Strive to Develop Modern Industries," FBIS Document ID KPP20000906000008; "Technical Renovation in DPRK," Korean Central News Agency, 15 January 2002, <http://www.kcna.co.jp/>; Rodong Sinmun, 23 April 2001, p. 3, in "DPRK Kusong Machine Tool Plant Strives for Computerization," FBIS Dociment ID KPP20010515000027; Rodong Sinmun, 27 April 2001, in "16th Central S&T festival Held in P'yongyang," FBIS Document ID KPP200105290000120; Korean Central Television (Pyongyang), 13 May 2001, in "DPRK Technology University Increases Computer majors, Undertakes industrial Projects--Video Stills Attached," FBIS Document ID KPP20010513000034; Kim Kil Nam, "Everything in Their Own Way," Pyongyang Times, 7 April 2001, <http://wwwtimes.dprkorea.com/>; "Device for Machine Tool Developed," Korean Central News Agency, 5 December 2001, <http://www.kcna.co.jp/>; "Saero Kaebaltoen Chiksŏn'gul'ŭm'annae," Korean Central News Agency, 5 December 2001, <http://www.kcna.co.jp/>.