Kim Jong-un's 'money-strapped' North Korean military "could lead to large-scale casualties and possible rebellion" [Y Record]

■ Host: Anchor Kim Youngsoo Kim, Anchor Yoo Da-won
■ Starring: Kim Dae-young, Researcher at the Korea Institute for National Strategy

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN Newswide] when quoting.

◇Anchor> There seems to be an analysis that it will be difficult for the front line situation to play a decisive role because the North Korean military lacks experience inside Russia. On the other hand, some people said that the situation would change anew. How should I look at it?

◆Kim Dae-young> I feel the same way, but if you do it wrong, it can be self-inflicted. The North Korean military cannot go and demonstrate its ability to turn the tide on the Ukrainian front. The first reason is, of course, the Korean Peninsula has a lot of mountainous terrain. As a result, the North Korean military's special forces also train a lot in preparation for these mountainous terrain. The battlefield environment itself is different between the Korean Peninsula and Ukraine. Ukraine is mostly flat. There is no mountain.

And one of the most important variables in the Ukraine war is drones. The reason why neither Ukraine nor Russia can fundamentally turn the tide right now is that thousands of drones fly a day. If there is an intention to attack something, it is all understood by the drone. Then shell the area where the troops gather, or use drones to self-destruct. That's why the biggest problem for the Russian military is being attacked like that, so they are fighting a war of charge while consuming troops.

If that happens, a lot of North Korean troops could be literally injured. Another problem is that some people will run away to Ukraine when they experience PTSD.
And the other thing that I think is the decisive issue is that the salaries of the Russian mercenaries are quite high. If you get at least $3,000 to $5,000 a month, this is a personal opinion, but at least half or two-thirds of that money should be taken by the North Korean authorities. If the North Korean military's casualties increase on the front line, there may be complaints about salaries. Then there could be another rebellion. If this is done wrong, North Korean troops could revolt on the Russian front and there is a possibility of mass desertion. It seems that there are several possibilities left.

◇Anchor> It's on the screen right now. It's the image of the North Korean military with a Russian soldier. If you look at that screen, there is a story that the North Korean military may have been sent to get technology related to Russian missile development.

◆Kim Dae-young> Don't we have to do after-sales service when we see cars rather than technology? Supporting follow-up support related to missiles or ammunition. And another NIS press release also showed that when Kim Jong-un went to the missile production base, he used artificial intelligence to match the person next to him. Usually, because artificial intelligence technology has improved, if there is a possibility of more than 80%, it should be considered the same person. Such people are now being put into the Russia-Ukraine war in North Korea.

◇Anchor> We've sent troops to Russia. And as you said, receiving mercenary salaries, and since North Korea has dispatched troops, won't you get some skills or something?

◆Kim Dae-young> In my view, the fact that Russia sent troops beyond ammunition and missiles in the past, for example, energy or supplies that North Korea lacks. If you focused on food and energy, sending mercenaries means providing cash. They give dollars and stuff to North Korea on a regular basis every month. In this way, at least a third of them are given to North Korean soldiers and their families who participated in the Ukraine war. In a way, when Korea participated in the Vietnam War, of course, it participated as a member of the free world, but wasn't there an economic purpose? From the perspective of North Korea, it seems that such a thing has not been calculated.

Excerpted from
: Lee Sun Digital News Team Editor

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