The North Korean military has obtained Austrian SSG 08 sniper rifles manufactured by Steyr-Mannlicher AG.

One of the rifles was personally tested by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The rifles were reportedly issued to special operations units of the Korean People’s Army.

Professional snipers from Austria’s EKO Cobra counterterrorism unit were involved in the development of the SSG 08 as consultants.
The result is a modern, high-precision sniper rifle.

The selection of the Steyr SSG 08 by North Korea’s special operations command is not unexpected.

Given international sanctions, the rifles were likely acquired through third countries.

The SSG 08 differs from its predecessor primarily through the addition of an aluminum stock with a folding, adjustable butt, which slightly increases its weight.

The rifle has a stated effective range of up to 1,500 meters.

It features a cold-forged barrel, a three-chamber muzzle brake, and four right-hand grooves in the bore. The weapon is a bolt-action rifle operated with a cylindrical bolt handle on the right side.

The trigger mechanism allows adjustment of pull force between 1 and 2 kg and includes a two-stage trigger. Ammunition is fed from detachable 10-round box magazines.

The Steyr SSG 08 uses a rotating bolt with a longitudinal slide. The bolt locks into place via four lugs arranged in two rows at the front of the bolt body.

In 2024, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense also approved the use of weapons produced by Steyr-Mannlicher AG.