CASUALTY RECORD // August 31, 1950
Battle of Nam River
Estimated casualties — killed, wounded, captured, and missing — by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Casualties by side
1 sides catalogued · combined 11,000 estimated
North Korea
11,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Nam River was one of several large engagements fought simultaneously within the broader Battle of Pusan Perimeter, the defensive perimeter that UN forces held in the southeastern corner of the Korean peninsula during the summer of 1950. US troops under William B. Kean repelled a North Korean People's Army crossing of the Nam River near its junction with the Naktong, inflicting approximately 11,000 casualties on Pang Ho San's force of 20,000 and defeating an attack that outnumbered the defending force. The UN victory contributed to the overall stabilization of the Pusan Perimeter, denying the KPA a breakthrough that could have collapsed the defensive line before UN forces were able to build sufficient strength for the counteroffensives that followed.
‹ Full battle dossier