North Korea

Lore & Background

In the Ghost Recon 2 universe, North Korea's story begins in July 2007, when a nationwide famine devastates the country. The government redirects much of the military budget to relief programs, which angers the Korean People's Army command, especially General Jung Chong-sun. Jung launches a coup d'état and places the military on high alert across the DMZ. The crisis escalates when a North Korean Super-Silkworm missile sinks the U.S. Navy intelligence-gathering vessel USS Clarence E. Walsh (CG-80), supposedly by accident. The United States deploys covert forces, including the U.S. Army's "Ghosts" special forces unit and the National Security Agency's Third Echelon, to defuse the situation. The Ghosts eventually foil Jung's plan to demolish a dam and flood the DMZ. Four months later, one of Jung's subordinates, General Paik, activates a Taepodong-2 MIRV nuclear missile targeting South Korea, the United States, and NATO. The Ghosts redeploy to prevent the launch and destroy the missile. Paik commits suicide while Jung plots revenge. In 2011, North Korea has recovered from the initial conflict, and Jung launches another coup, preparing to spark a greater Korean War by targeting Asian and Western countries with North Korea's nuclear arsenal. The Ghosts deploy again, whittling North Korea's combat capabilities and supply lines. Jung attempts to destroy his own rebellious cities using nuclear warheads hidden in trains, but the Ghosts intercept them. Finally, Jung captures a dam near Hamhung with a nuclear warhead, planning a repeat of his attempted flooding attack. The Ghosts attack to disable the warhead and kill Jung, preventing the escalation of the Korean conflict.

In Their Own Story

The PlayStation 2 and GameCube version (2007: First Contact) begins with North Korea devastated by famine. General Jung Chong-sun launches a coup, placing the military on high alert across the DMZ. A North Korean Super-Silkworm missile sinks the USS Clarence E. Walsh (CG-80). The Ghosts deploy to North Korea, conducting operations to defeat the coup forces. They succeed after foiling Jung's plan to demolish a dam and flood the DMZ. Four months later, General Paik activates a Taepodong-2 MIRV nuclear missile targeting South Korea, the United States, and NATO. The Ghosts redeploy to prevent the launch and destroy the missile. Paik commits suicide while Jung plots revenge. In the Xbox version (2011: Final Assault), North Korea has recovered. Jung launches another coup and prepares to spark a greater Korean War by targeting Asian and Western countries with North Korea's nuclear arsenal. The Ghosts deploy alongside U.S., NATO, and Australian peacekeeping forces. They whittle North Korea's combat capabilities and supply lines. Jung attempts to destroy his own rebellious cities using nuclear warheads hidden in trains, but the Ghosts intercept them. Jung then captures a dam near Hamhung with a nuclear warhead. The Ghosts attack to disable the warhead and kill Jung, preventing the escalation of the Korean conflict.

Reader's Guide

North Korea serves as the primary setting across both versions of Ghost Recon 2. In the PlayStation 2 and GameCube version (2007: First Contact), players operate in a North Korea devastated by famine, navigating the DMZ and conducting operations to defeat General Jung's coup forces. Key missions include foiling Jung's plan to demolish a dam and flood the DMZ, and later preventing General Paik from launching a Taepodong-2 MIRV nuclear missile. In the Xbox version (2011: Final Assault), players return to a recovered North Korea, where Jung has launched another coup. Missions involve whittling North Korea's combat capabilities and supply lines, intercepting nuclear warheads hidden in trains, and finally assaulting a dam near Hamhung to disable a nuclear warhead and kill Jung. The game's plot differs between releases, with the Xbox version serving as a sequel to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube version. The plot is also peripherally connected to that of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.

Did You Know?

• The game was criticized by the North Korean government for its storyline.
• The PlayStation 2 and GameCube version is set in 2007, while the Xbox version is set in 2011.
• A North Korean Super-Silkworm missile sinks the U.S. Navy vessel USS Clarence E. Walsh (CG-80) in the 2007 storyline.
• General Paik activates a Taepodong-2 MIRV nuclear missile targeting South Korea, the United States, and NATO.
• Jung attempts to destroy his own rebellious cities using nuclear warheads hidden in trains.