＜Inside N. Korea＞Unrest Spreads Among Parents of Soldiers Deployed to Russia, Checking on Sons' Safety Through Bribes, Military Says 'Letters Will Come Soon'

The South Korean and U.S. governments have revealed that North Korea has deployed approximately 12,000 soldiers to Russia. While the Kim Jong-un regime has imposed a gag order to prevent deployment information from spreading domestically, many people are already aware of the troop deployment to the Ukraine war. Additionally, anxiety and unrest are spreading among parents of enlisted soldiers, with many trying to independently determine whether their sons have been deployed to Russia or when they might return. (ISHIMARU Jiro / KANG Ji-won)

◆ Soldier Parents Exchange Deployment Information

According to reporting partners in Ryanggang and North Hamgyong Provinces, while many people already know about the Russian deployment, there's reluctance to freely ask military officials, party members, or administrative cadres due to strict crackdowns on rumor spreading.

In this context, reporting partner A from Ryanggang Province was able to hear stories from several close acquaintances who had sent their sons to the military. One of them had received a message through someone that their son "was being deployed to Russia." The reporting partner described their acquaintances' activities as follows:

"Worried parents are beginning to contact each other and exchange information. Due to this leak about (the Russian deployment), military units are cracking down on soldiers' contact with civilians. Still, many parents are using connections and even spending money to find out if their sons went to Russia.

While this acquaintance knows their son went (to Russia), they don't know when he departed or when he'll return. When they inquired through intermediaries at his unit, they were only told 'We can't disclose information during military missions. Letters will come soon.' Naturally, any parent would be worried."

◆ Are Elite Units Really Being Deployed? "My Son is Just a Regular Soldier..."

The South Korean government has publicly speculated that those deployed to Russia are from the elite "Storm Corps." However, when A inquired, the acquaintance's 23-year-old son was a soldier in a regular unit stationed in Hamhung.

Additionally, reporting partner B from Hoeryong in North Hamgyong Province reported, "An acquaintance's son serving in North Pyongan Province was deployed to Russia, but he's not a special forces member, just a regular infantry soldier."

While unconfirmed information about North Korean soldier casualties from battles with Ukrainian forces is spreading in Ukrainian media, ASIAPRESS has not obtained information about such news spreading within North Korea.

※ ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.