1996 Kangnung submarine infiltration incident

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Infiltration of Kangnung
The Sang-O-class submarine stranded on the South Korean coast
Date 17 September 1996 – 5 November 1996 Location Kangnung, Kangwon Province, South Korea Result South Korean victory
Belligerents
South Korea	North Korea
Strength
43,000 personnel	1 Sang-O-class submarine 26 personnel
Casualties and losses
13 killed 8 killed in action 4 in accidents 1 off-duty soldier murdered 27 wounded	24 killed 11 executed by own men 13 killed in action 1 captured (Lee Kwang-soo) 1 missing 1 submarine captured[1]
3 South Korean civilians killed[1]

The 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident began on 18 September 1996, near the South Korean city of Kangnung when North Koreans abandoned their grounded submarine, and hid within the city resulting in 49 day long manhunt for the belligerents.^[2]

The incident was one of the more serious instances of North Korean espionage involving the Reconnaissance Bureau (reconnaissance team and 22nd Squadron of the Maritime Department of the Reconnaissance Bureau).^[3] The raid was launched by North Korean armed spies to assassinate the President of South Korea, Kim Young-sam, during his visit to Chunchon, on 5 October 1996.^[4]

Months after the start of the incident North Korea issued a rare apology for the events and ensuing loss of life.^[5]