Why are North Korean soldiers ready to die in Russia?

Ryu Song-Hyun does not have to imagine what the thousands of North Korean soldiers deployed along the Russian front line are thinking right now. Not long ago he was one of them.

Rio crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone into freedom in 2019 – a rare defection for a soldier. His profile resembled that of many of the new soldiers being sent out today: young, malnourished and blind to the outside world. Before choosing to run away, Ryu remembers moving bricks at construction sites, and shivered when he was put on guard duty. He ate mushy rice mixed with corn. Meat was a holiday treat.

● WSJ | North Korean soldiers arrive at Russia’s front line. How prepared are they for combat?

In those days, if he had received an order to fight with the Russians, the 28-year-old Rio would have given an emphatic answer: “Thank you.” The logic that guided him: “Wouldn’t the meals at least be better?”.

The North Korean fighters in Russia were treated disparagingly and called mercenaries, cannon fodder and second rate. But what many overlook, say former North Korean soldiers and other military experts, is how willing many of these soldiers are to die — and how eager they are to escape the harsh conditions at home.

It is unlikely that the approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region, where Russia is trying to repel a Ukrainian invasion, will turn the tide of the difficult two-and-a-half-year war. But they provide Russian President Vladimir Putin with much-needed manpower, and pose new threats on the static front. One of the biggest mysteries is the degree of determination these North Korean soldiers will bring to a battle far from home and for an unknown cause.

Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday that some North Korean troops had already taken part in small-scale fighting near the front lines. A day later, South Korea assessed that the newly arrived troops had not yet engaged in full combat. The US said it expected the North Koreans to start fighting within days.

Almost all the soldiers sent to Russia – which includes special forces fighters – will have similar motivations, former North Korean soldiers say. Instilled in them from a young age the belief that they must sacrifice everything for the supreme leader. Children are asked in their textbooks to prove their loyalty to the regime by volunteering to be targets for hypothetical artillery strikes.

The deployment will be seen as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring cash and glory to the Kim Jong Un regime. Those who die are praised; Those who survive return as heroes.

“North Korean soldiers are convinced that they have to do everything for Kim,” Ryu said.

“Without an iota of hesitation”

The North Korean military lacks modern equipment and resources, even for its top troops. That fact puts them at a disadvantage compared to special forces trained in the US, Europe or South Korea, said David Maxwell, a retired US Army special forces colonel with extensive experience in Asia. Many North Korean soldiers, even special forces, spend most of their time doing agricultural or construction work, he added.

“North Korea’s special forces training produces highly disciplined, fiercely loyal soldiers who are often willing to take extreme risks with limited equipment,” Maxwell said.

The Russians and Ukrainians have armed forces in the hundreds of thousands, and both sides face attrition and struggle to replenish their ranks. Russia can recruit more than 30,000 new troops a month, though it usually loses a similar number killed or wounded in Ukraine, according to Western estimates. Ukraine suffers from lower casualty rates, although exact figures are not clear.

What makes the initial deployment of North Korean troops worrisome is its ability to send more. North Korea has one of the largest standing armies in the world, numbering about 1.2 million people, plus several million reservists, according to South Korean estimates. The Kim regime maintains the largest special forces unit in the world, numbering around 200,000 soldiers, military experts say.

Soldiers sent to Russia are expected to receive a monthly salary of about $2,000, a large portion of which will go to the regime, say senior South Korean officials. And yet, this is an incredible amount, when most of the country lives on a monthly income of a few dollars.

For decades, North Korea has struggled to provide enough food for its people due to international isolation and economic mismanagement, exacerbated by natural disasters. About 45% of North Korea’s population, numbering 26 million people, suffer from malnutrition – according to a report by the World Food Program. Even the military, which usually enjoys special privileges, is experiencing chronic food shortages.

The special forces are given a special place at the top of the North Korean military’s food chain. They are better fed than other units, and undergo more intensive training in infiltration, destruction of infrastructure and assassination. State television broadcast footage highlighting the theatrical aspects of their training: soldiers breaking bullets with their bare hands, and shirtless fighters taking a beating with wooden sticks. Others bend metal rods.

In September, Kim watched special forces patrol and raid exercises, which showcased the country’s “Invincible Revolutionary Armed Forces,” as state media called them. Each North Korean fighter, the report claims, is equivalent to 100 enemy soldiers. Kim’s satisfaction filled the soldiers, who thundered with their cheers, with “boundless emotion, joy, great pride and self-esteem.”

Lee Hyun-sung once served in the elite special forces unit of North Korea’s “Storm Corps”. He ran away about a decade ago. In addition to the military exercises, the 39-year-old recalled, the soldiers had to participate in daily ideological training that included memorizing Kim’s orders and reciting their willingness to die for the supreme leader – a custom that no doubt continued for those sent to Russia.

“They may be sacrificed without making much of an impact in the war,” Lee said. “But they will not dare to question the leader’s instructions to go to Russia.”

A worthwhile risk

North Korea often unveils flashy military equipment in flashy parades, from new tanks to artillery missiles and UAVs. But this advanced equipment is apparently not integrated at the troop level. The country does not have the financial capacity to provide its military with such expensive equipment.

Recently arrived North Korean soldiers learned about 100 basic military terms in Russian — including “fire” and “in position” — though they appeared to have difficulty communicating, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers late last month.

Given the focus on strengthening Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal, the training or food situation for troops has not changed dramatically since Kim came to power in December 2011, said Bang Jong-kwan, a former army officer. South Korea. This limits the roles they can play in Russia to foot soldiers, due to the language barrier and lack of familiarity with the terrain, he said.

“They will suffer many losses, because it is very unlikely that Russia will provide them with advanced equipment or intelligence,” Bang said.

Nevertheless, many North Korean soldiers will see the risks as worthwhile. Those who have heard of the North Korean pilots who fought in air combat against American planes during the Vietnam War know that being stationed overseas will raise the status of a soldier. So says Sim Ju-il, who was a North Korean army officer for 30 years, before escaping to South Korea in 1998.

The pilots who returned from Vietnam were welcomed as heroes and promoted to senior officer ranks, 74-year-old Sim recalled. Even the wives of the pilots who died on the battlefield were given high status in the Labor Party, giving them access to prestigious jobs.

This blind devotion to the Kim regime is what Sim hopes to break – by reaching Ukraine’s front lines. According to him, there are about 300 former soldiers of the North Korean army who are ready to go there. If North Korean soldiers are deployed on the front lines, the ex-soldiers hope to create a “psychological disturbance” by sending leaflets against the regime and making broadcasts with the aim of persuading the North Korean soldiers to surrender or defect, he said.

“I want them to know they were lied to,” Sim said. “They should not die for their loyalty.”