The 80th Group Army is one of thirteen total group armies of the PLAGF, the largest echelon of ground forces in the People's Republic of China, and one of three assigned to the nation's Northern Theater Command.

[2] During the Korean War, the 26th Army was commanded by Lieutenant General Zhang Renchu.

The PLA's 9th Army Group began moving into Korea on 5 November.

On 2 December, General Song Shilun ordered the 26th Army south from the Huchang River to take over the attack on Hagaru-ri.

[3] In May 1989, the 26th Army’s 138th Infantry Division was airlifted to Beijing to enforce martial law and suppress the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.