North Korea cracks down on rumours of soldiers in Russia
North Korean authorities have threatened to punish citizens who spread "rumours" about the death of North Korean soldiers involved in Russia's war with Ukraine, reports Radio Free Asia. Citizens are also encouraged to report individuals who discuss these losses.
North Korean state media have not yet acknowledged that their soldiers are fighting in Russia. Nevertheless, the news is circulating by word of mouth, and there are reports that military personnel have been killed.
According to Radio Free Asia, during a meeting at an automotive company in the northern region of the country, employees were instructed to report any person spreading "rumours" about North Korean soldiers fighting in Russia.
- As the news spread that soldiers of the 11th Corps continue to die in the war in Russia, it appears that they were trying to stop rumours from spreading - said an RFA source.
It is unclear what might happen to such individuals. If their actions are deemed to be anti-state propaganda, the punishment could be death.
They are dying for "the party and the great leader"
Meanwhile, the government is not keeping the matter entirely secret. Families of fallen military personnel are invited to ceremonies commemorating their sacrifice. However, they are not informed about how and where their relatives specifically died, only that they did so "honourably for the party and the great leader."
Fallen soldiers sometimes receive posthumous membership in the Workers' Party of Korea. This allows their families to enjoy certain privileges, such as access to better housing, jobs, or education.
The Pentagon and South Korean intelligence estimate that there are about 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia's Kursk Oblast. At least several hundred have died, and approximately 3,000 have been injured. Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed these figures.
