The division is the first tank unit of the KPA which was organized by President Kim Il Sung after Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule.

In the Fatherland Liberation War (1950-1953), the division advanced into Seoul three days after the start of the war, hoisted the DPRK's flag atop the puppet Capital Building and occupied the Seoul broadcasting station to declare the liberation of Seoul. In the whole period of the war, it killed or injured tens of thousands of enemy in different combats, including the combat to liberate Taejon, and destroyed hundreds pieces of guns, tanks, armored cars and other combat equipment of the enemy.

Chairman Kim Jong Il started his guidance over the revolutionary armed forces by inspecting the division on August 25, Juche 49 (1960).

Afterwards, he visited the division tens of times and led it to further glorify the honor of the guards unit.

Early in January 2010, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un visited the division in company with?Kim Jong Il. That day,?Kim Jong Un?personally drove Tank No. 951 and fired the gun with his will and determination to certainly accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche generation after generation.

He also visited the division early in January Juche 101 (2012), the first year of the new century of Juche. That day, he?instilled the firm faith into the hearts of the soldiers of the division, saying he came here to like to see the soldiers who would spend days in tears after losing Chairman Kim Jong Il.

Kim Jong Un's inspection of the division was the first revolutionary activity conducted by him as the supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK and a historic declaration which heralded the steadfast succession to the revolutionary cause of Juche.