North Korean soldiers march during a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, July 27, 2023. Yonhap

North Korea ranked as the 34th strongest in military firepower globally, while South Korea came in fifth, a global firepower index showed Tuesday.

The numbers were released in the 2025 Military Strength Ranking, compiled by Global Firepower (GFP), which assesses the "potential war-making capability" of 145 nations by conventional means.

North Korea's 2025 ranking is two notches higher than last year and marks the same as its position in the 2023 ranking.

In various assessment categories, including combat tank fleet strength, active military manpower, self-propelled artillery strength and multiple launch rocket projector strength, North Korea came in fourth globally.

It also received the top mark of "excellent" in fighter fleet strength, submarine fleet strength and various other fields.

The report put the numbers of army and air force personnel available for mobilization in North Korea at 1.37 million and 110,000, respectively, ranking both at the sixth largest globally.

The North's navy personnel available for mobilization was put at 60,000, the 12th largest.

GFP also assessed that "The commitment of North Korean troops to the Russian cause in Ukraine has proven an interesting development in the Eastern European conflict."

In the ranking, South Korea came in fifth, while the United States received the top position, followed by Russia, China and India.

Describing South Korea, the report said, "Recent political upheaval in this typically stable Asian Pacific power is noted." (Yonhap)