DPRK sends soldiers to Russia in exchange for food aid and space technology - media
The DPRK has sent thousands of its soldiers to Russia to fight against Ukraine. The agreement on the participation of DPRK troops in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia is beneficial for Pyongyang, as it will cover the financial and food crisis in the country.
This was reported by The Korea Herald, citing data from South Korean intelligence, Censor.NET reports.
Congressman and former South Korean ambassador to Russia Wee Sung-luck, citing intelligence data, noted that the agreement on the participation of DPRK troops in the war against Ukraine is beneficial for Pyongyang.
According to him, North Korea is seeking to resolve its financial and food crises, expecting help from Moscow for its contribution to the war effort.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service told parliamentarians that each North Korean soldier sent to fight on the side of Russia will be paid a monthly salary of about $2,000. It is believed that the DPRK has sent at least 10,000 soldiers to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, which means that the total annual payment will be more than $200 million.
In addition to the military, according to South Korean intelligence, there are currently about 4,000 North Korean workers in Russia. It is believed that their average salary is about $800 per month.
In exchange for the soldiers, North Korea expects to receive food aid from Russia. According to Wee Son Lak, the DPRK produces less than 4 million tonnes of grain such as rice, barley and wheat annually. However, most of the country's "rice production" is actually potatoes, with rice believed to account for less than a third of the total.
"The 4 million tonnes of grain that North Korea says it produces per year is actually 1 million tonnes less than it needs to feed the country. If Russia offers 600-700,000 tonnes of rice, this is enough to cover more than half of what the DPRK needs to meet its annual demand," said Wee Sung-luck.
In addition, the South Korean lawmaker reminded that Russia also buys artillery shells from the DPRK.
"The food shortage was probably compensated for through the arms trade. By selling a few containers of artillery shells, Pyongyang can afford much more than hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rice," Wee said.
South Korea's intelligence service also told the country's parliament that Russia is also helping North Korea with advanced space technologies, as Pyongyang seeks to launch another military reconnaissance satellite.
In addition, according to Wee Song-lak, North Korea is counting on military assistance from Russia in the event of a war on the Korean Peninsula.
"If a war ever breaks out on the Korean peninsula, the DPRK can count on Russia to come to the rescue," the South Korean parliamentarian said.
Participation of DPRK troops in the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that Russia was using North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine.
On 25 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, according to intelligence, the first North Korean military would be used by Russia in combat zones on 27-28 October.
On 28 October, the Pentagon said that the DPRK had sent about 10,000 of its military to Russia for training and further participation in hostilities against Ukraine, which would take place in the "next few weeks".
The Pentagon said that Ukrainian troops could use the US weapons provided to them against the North Korean military if the DPRK enters the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia.
Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said that approximately several thousand North Korean soldiers have already deployed to the Kursk region in Russia. A smaller number of them are already in the Kursk region.
