Summary
North Korea is sending thousands of soldiers to support Russia in the Ukraine war, expecting compensation of $200 million annually. In return, Russia is providing North Korea with rice, advanced space technology, and potential military assistance in the event of a contingency on the Korean Peninsula.
Despite the the National Intelligence Service’s assessment that the costs outweigh the benefits, experts believe North Korea is securing a strategic advantage by aligning itself with Russia.
“…oh yeah and throw in some rice for the starving peasants I guess.”
Kim Fatty 3rd, probably
It’s kinda crazy that another county just joined the war on the ground for Russia and there hasn’t been a huge response. I hope Ukraine’s allies can really step up the support, maybe even responding in kind by sending engineering forces.
If it had been any other country in the world, you might have seen an actual response. North Korea is not to be taken seriously until they have proven otherwise, and with an impoverished, famished population that is locked further in the past than Russia, I doubt we will see much in the way of meaningful action from them.
I would agree, although a human with an AK is still a human with an AK. Even unskilled, undertrained, under supplied infantry should be taken seriously because they’re still a large number of bodies that can pull triggers.
Agreed. And for every few dozen shitty infantry grunts, there’s going to be at least a few that end up being very competent at the job and are effective at killing Ukrainian soldiers.
I feel like there’s something in between stuff as basic as rice and advanced as satellite launch systems that NK should probably be focusing on.
This sounds like total age of empires stuff. We need rice and satellites.
Honestly, this is probably the best news that the Korean Peninsula has had in 70 years. Anything to start dragging the hermit kingdom out of its cave isn’t entirely bad news.
I’ve heard rumors that some of those troops have witnessed the outside world and are already deserting lol.
They definitely don’t want those troops coming back home and talking about their time in the west.
Any reliable sources? I wouldn’t doubt it for a minute, but I would think the NK and Russian military leadership would have them watched like hawks.
NK importing rice from Russia is funny as it is. The depressing part comes in whenever Kim would like to challenge South Korea’s statehood, EU and US would not want to get involved, just like they do with Ukraine, because NK is a chinese proxy and they don’t want to offend China too much. Although NK’s army is outdated and idiotic, they can still cause a lot of harm, especially if supported by other states.
The US would have to get involved, South Korea is a military ally. We literally have thousands of troops and military bases inside their country. I think this is why the agreement with Russia only states “potential” aid from Russia in the event of a war with South Korea.
I was optimistic about that before and now I want to believe you.
Well at least it’s not nuke or nuke delivery stuff. That’s what I was worried about.
They grow rice in Russia?
The Krasnodar region accounts for around 73% of Russian rice output.
That’s next to the black sea.
nuke delivery stuff
That’s what space tech means, I thought.
I doubt Russia would want that since NK is unstable and can easily point those weapons back at them at some point in the future.
Russian decisions over the past few years haven’t exactly shown much long-term strategic choices or forethought, so I doubt this is an argument for them
Their recent launches have been using field Russia more commonly uses, so they might be getting Russian engines.
Could be satellites for intelligence and all the tech that goes on it. Not the easiest stuff to develop or manufacture. If I’m Russia I would protect the family jewels (nuke and nuke delivery). If NK got rice out of the deal they’re probably not jumping straight to ICBM tech.
NK already has missile tech, just not clear whether it has real intercontinental range. The US and Russia did that in the 1950s though.
I wonder if targeting is an issue. Range is easy, accurate targeting is not.
I’ve got bad news for you bud about what was originally placed on those Russian rockets before Sputnik, Lyka, and Gagarin.
Rice?
Space tech has really broadened since then. Sounds to me like they’re avoiding weapons.
“Ask for” well no shit NK wants and will ask for it. Anyone can figure that out. Gonna need more than the literal “speculation” the article says. Like I answered to the other guy, space tech is pretty broad these days.
I thought Russian space tech was rugged and outdated at best?
Compared to the US and China? Sure. Compared to North Korea, not really as much.
