Kim Jong Un decided to send soldiers to Russia, effectively joining the war against Ukraine. Former North Korean soldiers who defected to South Korea explained the reasons for this decision and the motives of the soldiers sent to support Vladimir Putin's forces in interviews with The Associated Press.
According to current media reports, North Korea has sent 10,000 people to Moscow. Most of the soldiers will be part of elite special forces units. According to experts, they will still be thrown into the most difficult sections of the front, which could mean they become cannon fodder for Russian commanders.
Observers said the North Korean group had already been moved near the front lines.
North Korean soldiers participating in the war against Ukraine. “They want to see other countries.”
According to former North Korean soldiers who defected to South Korea, military officers dispatched by President Putin treated this as an award rather than a punishment.
– They are too young to understand exactly what it means. They would consider it simply an honor to be chosen among many North Korean soldiers to go to Russia, said Lee Eun-gil, a former member of the same special forces assault force who defected to South Korea in 2007. he said. A.P.
See also: North Korea talks about 'holy war'. Kim Jong Un regime threatens
“Most of them probably won't make it back alive,” he added.
Choi Jong-hoon, a former second lieutenant in the North Korean army, said that serving in a foreign country will attract many soldiers who want to see another country for the first time.
The Assault Corps, also known as the XI Corps, is one of the best forces available to Pyongyang authorities.
Lee, who served in the unit from 1998 to 2003, recalled that he and his colleagues received better food and supplies. Meanwhile, soldiers in other units suffered from malnutrition and often suffered from tuberculosis.
What does Kim expect?
Critics say Kim Jong Un's decision to support Russia in its war against Ukraine could be controversial and appear dangerous. This is because the administration is suffering from great tension in its relations with the United States and South Korea.
According to the Associated Press, “heavy losses to the North Korean military would be a serious political blow to the 40-year-old leader.”
But experts say Kim may see this as a way to get much-needed foreign currency and security support from the Russian Federation.
See also: North Korean troops on alert. they fear for the dictator's safety
– Kim Jong Un is taking a big risk. As long as there aren't too many victims, you'll probably get what you want to a certain extent. But if many soldiers die in combat, the situation will change dramatically, said Ahn Chang-il, a former North Korean army lieutenant and current director of the World North Korea Research Institute, a think tank in Seoul.
He may also hope that Russia will provide “advanced and sensitive technology needed to improve nuclear-capable missiles.”
Nam Sung-wook, a former head of a think tank run by the Korea Spy Agency, said the government is probably counting on soldiers to earn hundreds of millions of dollars in salaries while also gaining experience on modern battlefields themselves. Ta.
Mr. Kim will receive money from President Putin for his soldiers.
According to Associated Press sources, the average salary for North Korean workers and soldiers does not exceed $1 a month. Economic issues therefore provide incentives for both soldiers and the regime itself to engage in war.
“Russia is expected to cover all costs associated with sending North Korean soldiers, including their salaries, which observers estimate at least $2,000 per month per person. “About 90% to 95% of the salary is likely to go into Mr. Kim's safe,” he said, and the rest was passed on to the soldiers,” we read.
See also: Russians complain about North Korea. military conversations were intercepted
This means that one year of Putin's service is worth between $1,200 and $2,400 for a North Korean soldier. According to the agency's interlocutors, this is enough for young soldiers to volunteer.
Further incentives, they say, could include membership in the Labor Party and the right to move to the capital. In addition, their families may also be rewarded. Here, the regime authorities would provide better living conditions and access to better education.
“Soldiers consider going to Russia to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Ang said. However, if they suffer heavy losses, they may start to desert.
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