Among reports about sending soldiers to Russia.. What are the capabilities of the North Cornish army?

With frequent reports of North Korea sending thousands of troops to Russia to take part in its war on Ukraine, talk of Pyongyang’s military capabilities has returned to the fore, especially as it relies to conventional weapons.

In the site classification “Global firepower“For the most powerful military in the world, North Korea was ranked 36 on a list of 145 countries.

According to the newspaper “New York Times“That military’s capabilities have expanded over the last few decades, despite economic obstacles and technological limitations.

North Korea’s military is an important economic resource (AFP)

Mandatory contract

North Korean state media wants to “fully arm the people” and protect the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un. The military, officially known as the Korean People’s Army, has 1.3 million active soldiers and 7.6 million reserve soldiers.

The army supports its arsenal through compulsory conscription, which requires men to serve from 8 to 10 years, and women about 5 years, making it one of the longest periods of service. longest compulsory in the world.

As a result, soldiers receive long-term training, which has enabled some of their special units to carry out directed offensive operations, focusing on infiltration.

Conventional weapons and cyber attacks

Due to decades of sanctions and poor economic conditions, North Korea’s conventional weapons are still outdated, as the army relies on a stockpile of heavy weapons, such as artillery and missiles, dating back to the Union Soviet.

The North Korean army is also suffering from a shortage of fuel and spare parts, which leads to limited training for pilots, and poor preparation of military vehicles and armored vehicles, according to what was reported on the website.Radio Asia Free” In a previous report.

As a result of the decline in conventional military capabilities, approximately 6,800 electronic warfare experts have been allocated to work on electronic attacks against military and civilian targets, with the aim of achieving financial and intelligence gains, and military capabilities to appear in a very low cost. techniques compared to conventional weapons, according to a report published by the Asian Society website.Asia Society“.

Risk of defects

When soldiers are sent abroad, as in the case of Russia, it is possible that there will be a defect, especially since some soldiers serve in difficult economic conditions.

Travel outside North Korea, which is relatively free compared to the environment at home, is expected to challenge their loyalty, according to a New York Times report.

The leader of North Korea relies on the military forces as political and economic support, as the forces work in various industrial and commercial projects, and are considered an important source of state income, by ‘ money smuggling and stealing data over the internet.

Military relations between Russia and North Korea have seen a significant improvement in recent times, after Washington confirmed that Pyongyang had sent troops to support Kremlin forces in the war on Ukraine , in a step that shows the most dangerous increase on the European continent, and it could also increase the state of tension in the region of India and the Pacific Ocean.

The United States said for the first time that it had seen evidence of the presence of North Korean forces in Russia. The White House announced that North Korean forces currently training in Russia would become legitimate military targets if they took part in the fighting in Ukraine, and NATO said it was maintaining consultations on the deployment of North Korean forces in Russia.

David Sidney, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia and the Pacific Affairs, and a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said in an exclusive interview with Al-Hurra TV that the agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang will have “dangerous consequences” not only for Ukraine And even for countries in the region in Asia and Europe.

He explained that the deployment of North Korean forces is a new development “that requires all these countries, especially Japan and South Korea, to take measures to protect their interests .”

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursday, spent rejecting reports of North Korea sending troops to his country, moving away from giving a clear answer to a question about the step.

Putin said in Statements A journalist after the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia, in response to a question about satellite images said to show the movements of North Korean forces: “Images are a dangerous matter.. .If there are images, they show something. “