North Korea is believed to have dispatched thousands of soldiers to Russia to support its invasion of Ukraine, with thousands more anticipated to join by the year’s end, according to South Korean intelligence and military officials. While the National Intelligence Service said in its latest analysis the costs of North Korea stepping into the war seem to outweigh the benefits, other experts in Seoul say Pyongyan...

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.

  • Semperverus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    18·
    13 days ago

    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.

    • MonkeMischief@lemmy.todayEnglish
      16·
      12 days ago

      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.

      • bassomitron@lemmy.worldEnglish
        8·
        12 days ago

        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.