North Korea's decision to send troops to Russia's war in Ukraine will certainly strengthen Pyongyang's partnership with Moscow, but it will also expose thousands of North Korean soldiers to a world and way of life they don't understand. While it's difficult to verify the exact number, Western intelligence estimates that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers have already been sent to the Kursk region to stop a Ukrainian invasion of Russian territory.
Despite heading into a war zone, during their long journey from Russia's eastern border in Asia to its western border in Europe, they are likely to see the relative wealth of Russian cities and towns. They will probably also receive better food and salaries than those they are used to in their homeland.
“Many of these soldiers are just humble country boys from the countryside or junior officers who will see the world beyond the borders of North Korea for the first time. This will certainly make them understand that their country is isolated and extremely poor“, Andrey Lankov, professor of history and international relations at Kookmin University in Seoul, told DW. "Inevitably, they will start to wonder why their country is not as rich as Russia," he believes.
Returning as 'heroes'
Those who survive the front will return home with impressions that do not fit at all with the regime's official propaganda, which claims that North Korea is one of the happiest and most advanced countries in the world. But analysts warn that soldiers will avoid expressing critical sentiments even to family and friends. North Korea's secret police are notorious for treating any criticism of the regime or society as treason and imposing severe punishments.
"These people grew up in such an environment and know very well what not to say. They will not commit suicide by starting to talk openly about their experiences," Lankov says. “They will also benefit from the aura of national heroes, and North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un will reward them generously. “What these soldiers saw or did in Russia will affect them in some way, but we can hardly expect it to have political dimensions in the foreseeable future“, the observer added.
Regime intensifies repression against foreign influence
For many decades, the North Korean government has sought to cut off its people from all foreign influences. Recently, this campaign has become increasingly fierce: the authorities brutally persecute anyone caught watching foreign films or listening to Western music, and those who try to escape to China are imprisoned for long periods. Certain clothing or hairstyles - if authorities believe they are influenced by foreign influences - are also used as a pretext for detaining people in the highly isolated country.
In Russia, however, officers and guards cannot keep North Korean soldiers completely isolated from outside influence, says Dan Pinkston, a professor of international relations at Seoul's Troy University. "There are reports that North Korean soldiers have been airlifted from training centers in the Russian Far East - it is possible that they chose to fly simply because they did not want North Koreans to see Russian cities from the trains as they crossed the country," he told DW. Pinkston also believes that many of them are likely to be flying for the first time.
“They will very quickly realize the backwardness of North Korea, although I think the officers will try to keep the men isolated from the local population as much as possible, to limit their contact,“ he adds.
Doubts will creep into their minds
The North Korean regime closely monitors everyone who has been abroad, including those who have been sent to work on construction sites or in logging in Russia, or in restaurants or factories in China. Soldiers returning from Russia will also likely go through a period of evaluation and re-education before being allowed back into North Korean society. Prof. Lankov of Kookmin University agrees that returning soldiers will be "closely watched": "It may be more difficult when they are in Russia and on the battlefield. But those who return will know that it can be dangerous for them to talk about what they have seen." However, Lankov believes that the experience of life outside North Korea and the "apparent prosperity" of other countries will be deeply embedded in their minds.
"Of course, I don't expect them to start a revolution right away, but the captains who serve in Ukraine will become generals in a few years and they will still have their doubts. Over time, those doubts about the North Korean system could become significant," he added.
Author: Julian Ryall