North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has refused to repatriate the bodies of soldiers killed fighting on behalf of Russia. Reports are circulating that Russia has repeatedly asked the nation to transfer bodies, but Pyongyang refuses as it fears civil unrest.
The only information that the people of North Korea can access is what the government provides and most do not know the extent of the war abroad. They have been brainwashed to believe that the rest of the world is living in dire conditions far worse than their own. The regime is allegedly worried that accepting the dead would stain Kim’s invincible carefully orchestrated image and cause outrage among the people who have been living in utter poverty and despair.
What’s worse is that Kim allegedly will not accept the injured either. What happens to the thousands of North Korean troops when the war ends? They now know of the world outside North Korea—the lies have been exposed. Democracy is not an oppressive system and people outside their nation live FAR better than one could have possibly imagined. An inkling of dissent is enough to send the current regime into a tailspin.
The troops cannot defect as North Korean law dictates that THREE GENERATIONS of one’s family must be punished if someone commits a crime. If someone defects, their entire family will be killed or sent off to labor camps. Ukraine could decimate North Korea by shattering the illusion created by the Kim dynasty, but the men have been ordered not to surrender. Ukrainian troops have described their foes as outright suicidal, with many detonating grenades beneath their chin rather than face capture. One Ukrainian soldier said a North Korean troop called out “General Kim Jong Un” before taking his life.
There are now at least 3,000 to 4,000 deceased bodies awaiting proper burial. Between 10,000 to 12,000 men have been sent to Russia thus far, and North Korea said it plans to continue sending troops to Russia in exchange for economic relief.
The 72-year Revolutionary Cycle for North Korea is set to turn up in 2025, suggesting potential for significant changes or upheaval within the country.
North Korea is one of the most militarized nations in the world, hosting 1.2 million troops. Some believe that those deployed to Russia have such a strong loyalty to their leader that they plan to use their battleground experience to continue supporting Kim’s regime back home. But what happens if Pyongyang does not allow these men to return? How effective can rhetoric be when thousands of sons, husbands, nephews, neighbors, and friends never return?
On the other hand, what happens if these men do return home but begin to question their loyalty? Empires fall when the military turns against the very people they have sworn to protect. These men have the potential to form the most powerful alliance and coup that could be capable of the unthinkable—destroying the Kim dynasty and freeing the people of North Korea.
