Asian Angle | North Korean soldiers: the future protectors of China’s belt and road?
Forget tired caricatures of malnourished North Koreans distracted by online porn. In Kursk, they’ve proved to be deadly and disturbingly effective
Far from the caricatures of malnourished soldiers distracted by online pornography, these troops have shown remarkable combat proficiency and unyielding ideological discipline – qualities that have not gone unnoticed by Chinese military analysts.
What most sets them apart, though, is their rigid ideological discipline, a trait that distinguishes them from the often disorganised and demoralised ranks of Russian troops and Wagner mercenaries. This is precisely what has piqued Beijing’s interest.
Rumours are already swirling among Chinese private security contractors. Some see North Korean veterans as a potential gold mine – politically reliable, battle-hardened, and willing to take extreme actions, including suicide by grenade to avoid capture. Such discipline is rare in the private military and mercenary world, where loyalty often follows the highest bidder. To date, only two North Korean soldiers have been captured alive by Ukrainian forces.