North Korea bolsters Russian frontlines amid rice pact
The agreement between North Korea and Russia concerning deploying North Korean soldiers offers mutual benefits for both nations. According to reports from "The Korea Herald", Russia has agreed to pay substantial salaries to North Korean military personnel.
Representative Wee Sung-luck, a former South Korean ambassador to Russia, remarked to The Korea Herald that joining the conflict against Ukraine is "not a bad deal" for North Korea. He believes that the financial and food crises in the DPRK are largely being addressed thanks to Russian compensation for their involvement in the military efforts against Ukraine.
According to South Korean intelligence, cited by NewsUkraine, in exchange for North Korean armed forces, Russia has committed to supplying North Korea with between 670,000 and 760,000 metric tonnes of rice annually. Additionally, North Korean soldiers participating in the conflict against Ukraine are to receive salaries of approximately £1,650.
The agreement also includes collaboration in space technology. The countries have also agreed that, in the event of war, Russia will engage in combat operations on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korean soldiers in Russia
Recently, news broke worldwide that North Korea has sent thousands of its soldiers to Russia. Ukrainian intelligence reports that their number could exceed 10,000. "Financial Times" noted that some North Korean soldiers are already in Russia’s Kursk region, about 50 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.
In response to these reports, South Korea announced the possibility of increasing military support for Ukraine. Seoul also emphasised that the DPRK has approached Russia for technology related to tactical nuclear weapons.
Source: NewsUkraine
