By Kim Min-hyuk, Seoul
Even before North Korea's head of state Kim Jong-un sent his soldiers to the front to support Russian President Vladimir Putin, he created facts on the Korean Peninsula that cause extreme instability. He introduced the “two-enemy state theory,” which rules out the reunification of the two Koreas, and amended the Constitution accordingly. He had anti-tank barriers built and mines laid in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to block escape routes and destroy symbols of inter-Korean cooperation such as the Donghae and Gyeongui Railways. In doing so, he is deepening the isolation of his regime and increasing the suffering of the population.
During my time in the military, I personally endured the hardships of severe food shortages and the crushing burden of daily survival. The whole world knows that the North Korean population is suffering from severe food shortages due to repeated floods and economic difficulties.
Malnutrition and disease
The situation within the North Korean military is no different. There is no rice in the military rations, and meals are limited to corn and wheat, sometimes only three to four spoonfuls. The only side dishes are salted radishes and cabbage. The consequences are widespread malnutrition and an increase in diseases such as hepatitis. Every year, more soldiers suffer from deteriorating health simply due to poor nutrition. The soldiers who are sent to Russia are also slender and malnourished.
North Korean soldiers are also exposed to extreme conditions and inadequate clothing. During your mandatory ten-year (!) In military service, they receive a maximum of three sets of uniforms. As there is a lack of appropriate clothing, many resort to stolen civilian clothing. The soldiers wear a random mix of clothes that make them appear ragged.
Information from outside shocks the soldiers; the North Korean authorities strictly train soldiers not to look at or touch anti-regime leaflets because they are allegedly coated with poison.
Leaflets and garbage balloons
However, it is impossible to completely shield soldiers from the truth. I too have seen the contents of these leaflets, which reveal the luxurious life of the Kim family. The initial skepticism turned into a feeling of deep betrayal, as "the Führer" deceives the people.
Young soldiers are particularly sensitive to these leaflets and broadcasts. The generation born after 1990 that experienced the worst food crisis in North Korea, the so-called “Jangmadang generation,” now makes up a large part of the military. For them, surviving and overcoming hunger is their top priority, and loyalty to the state is naturally low.
In July, the South Korean Ministry of Defense resumed broadcasting anti-regime messages. In response, North Korean authorities sent bizarre sounds to block these transmissions and even distributed earplugs to soldiers on the front lines. They also launched a campaign with “garbage balloons,” which they sent south as a “self-defense measure,” blaming South Korea for the military tensions.
The Jangmadang generation
In spite of everything, the young soldiers of the Jangmadang generation are not easily deceived. They dance to K-pop and dream of South Korean clothing and lifestyle.
In the future, the Jangmadang generation will play the leading role in all sectors of North Korean society. No matter what steps Kim Jong-un takes to correct the ideology of these young soldiers, he will never be able to fully control them.
Some even describe the Jangmadang generation as a major opposition to the Workers Party. North Korean soldiers should therefore continue to be informed about the Kim family's luxurious lifestyle, the corruption of the elites, the real differences in living conditions between the two Koreas and possible escape routes. One day, the young soldiers yearning for freedom will also bring down Kim Jong-un's system.
The author is a former North Korean officer who had served as a soldier in Gangwon Province. In 2020, he managed to escape in search of freedom. He now lives in South Korea.