North Korean troops sent to fight in Ukraine may welcome rare tour

SEOUL, South Korea -- The thousands of young soldiers North Korea has sent to Russia, reportedly to thief conflict against Ukraine, are mostly elite typical forces, but that hasn't stopped speculation they'll beryllium slaughtered because they person nary combat experience, nary familiarity pinch nan terrain and will apt beryllium dropped onto nan astir ferocious battlefields.

That whitethorn beryllium true, and soon. Observers opportunity nan troops are already arriving astatine nan front. From nan North Korean perspective, however, these soldiers mightiness not beryllium arsenic miserable arsenic outsiders think. They may, successful fact, position their Russian circuit pinch pridefulness and arsenic a uncommon chance to make bully money, spot a overseas state for nan first clip and triumph preferred curen for their families backmost home, according to erstwhile North Korean soldiers.

“They are excessively young and won't understand precisely what it means. They'll conscionable see it an grant to beryllium selected arsenic nan ones to spell to Russia among nan galore North Korean soldiers,” said Lee Woong-gil, a erstwhile personnel of nan aforesaid typical forces unit, nan Storm Corps. He came to South Korea successful 2007. “But I deliberation astir of them won’t apt travel backmost location alive.”

Worries astir North Korea’s apt participation successful nan Russian-Ukraine warfare were highlighted this week erstwhile nan Pentagon said North Korea has sent astir 10,000 troops to Russia, and that they will apt conflict against Ukraine “over nan adjacent respective weeks.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday that immoderate North Korean subject units were already successful Russia’s Kursk separator region, wherever Russia has been struggling against a Ukraine incursion.

North Korea's unit deployment could people a superior escalation of nan almost three-year war. It caught galore extracurricular observers by astonishment because North Korea has its ain information headache, a festering standoff pinch nan United States and South Korea complete its atomic program.

Large North Korean unit casualties would beryllium a awesome governmental rustle for nan country’s 40-year-old ruler, Kim Jong Un. But experts opportunity Kim whitethorn spot this arsenic a measurement to get overmuch needed overseas rate and information support from Russia successful return for joining Russia's warfare against Ukraine.

“Kim Jong Un is taking a large gamble. If location are nary ample casualty numbers, he will get what he wants to immoderate extent. But things will alteration a batch if galore of his soldiers dice successful battle,” said Ahn Chan-il, a erstwhile North Korean service first lieutenant who is now caput of nan World Institute for North Korean Studies deliberation vessel successful Seoul.

The Storm Corps, besides known arsenic nan 11th Corps, is 1 of Kim’s apical units. Its main missions would beryllium infiltrating agents into South Korea, blowing up important accommodation successful nan South and assassinating cardinal figures successful nan arena of warfare connected nan Korean Peninsula.

Lee, who served successful nan Storm Corps successful 1998-2003, recalled that his portion received amended nutrient and supplies than different units, but galore members still suffered from malnutrition and tuberculosis.

Despite a gradual economic recovery successful North Korean complete nan past 30 years, defectors opportunity nan mean monthly costs for mean North Korean workers and soldiers is little than $1. They opportunity galore group prosecute successful capitalist marketplace activities to make a surviving because nan country's authorities rationing strategy remains mostly broken.

Russia is expected to salary each nan costs related to nan deployment of North Korean troops, including their wages, which observers estimate will beryllium astatine slightest $2,000 per period for each person. About 90% to 95% of their stipends will apt spell to Kim’s coffers, and nan remainder to nan soldiers. This intends 1 twelvemonth of work successful Russia would gain a North Korean worker $1,200 to $2,400. That's large capable to punctual galore young soldiers to unpaid for risky Russian tours, erstwhile soldiers say.

Ahn said North Korea will apt connection different incentives meant to elevate nan societal standings of soldiers, specified arsenic rank successful nan ruling Workers’ Party and nan correct to move to Pyongyang, nan country’s showcase capital. Kang Mi-Jin, a defector who runs a institution analyzing North Korea’s economy, said moreover family members of soldiers sent to Russia could beryllium fixed benefits specified arsenic bully houses aliases entranceway to bully universities.

Choi Jung-hoon, a erstwhile first lieutenant successful North Korea’s army, said serving connected overseas ungraded will pull galore soldiers who are eager to spot different countries for nan first time.

North Koreans are barred from accessing overseas news and request authorities support to move from 1 state to different wrong nan country. North Korean construction, logging and different workers sent overseas to bring successful overseas rate person often been called “slaves” by world quality authorities groups. But defectors attest that specified overseas jobs are often amended than staying successful North Korea, and galore utilized bribery and family connections to get them.

“North Korean soldiers would spot going to Russia arsenic a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Ahn said.

Ahn and different observers opportunity specified views could alteration if nan soldiers spot colleagues dying successful ample numbers. They opportunity galore North Korean soldiers could surrender to Ukraine forces and inquire for resettlement successful South Korea.

North Korean soldiers person been trained connected nan Korean Peninsula's mountainous terrain and are not acquainted pinch nan mostly level plain battlefields successful nan Russian-Ukraine war. They besides don't understand modern warfare, including drone use, because North Korea hasn’t fought a large conflict since nan extremity of nan 1950-53 Korean War, experts say.

“My bosom ached,” said Choi, now leader of an activistic group successful Seoul, erstwhile he saw a Ukraine video purportedly showing undersized North Korean soldiers believed to beryllium successful their precocious teens aliases early 20s.

"None would deliberation they are going to Russia to die. ... But I deliberation they're cannon fodder because they will surely beryllium killed erstwhile they're sent to nan astir vulnerable sites,” Choi said.

Leader Kim Jong Un whitethorn besides beryllium hoping that his unit connection will push Russia to stock blase and highly delicate exertion that he needs to cleanable his nuclear-capable missiles. That transportation could dangle connected really agelong nan warfare continues and really galore much troops Kim will send.

Nam Sung-wook, a erstwhile head of a deliberation vessel tally by South Korea’s spy agency, said North Korea will apt get hundreds of millions of dollars because of nan soldiers' wages. The soldiers will get nonstop acquisition of modern warfare but will apt dice successful ample numbers, and Russia will beryllium reluctant to manus complete its high-tech rocket technology, he said.

“North Korea will proceed to hide its unit dispatches from its ain group because nan nationalist will beryllium agitated if they cognize their soldiers are being sent overseas to beryllium killed,” said Nam, who is now a professor astatine Korea University successful South Korea.