North Korean military faces desertion crisis amidst internal violence
The North Korean army is facing a wave of desertions. The scale of the problem is most evident from the decision to increase the number of military police patrols. An inspection has been initiated in a critical unit.
The Daily NK portal reports that the Third Corps of the North Korean Army recorded a sharp increase in desertions in the first half of this year. The scale of the problem in Kim Jong Un's most crucial unit prompted the authorities to initiate an extraordinary inspection there.
Among the deserters, the most numerous group consists of soldiers who have been in the army for less than two years. According to North Korean army reports, the reason for the desertions is violence by older soldiers against newer recruits. In the unit where the inspection is being conducted, there were allegedly severe beatings of soldiers.
The first decisions have already been made. Soldiers with less than two years of service will not receive independent tasks or be granted individual leave.
It has also been decided to create 10 additional military police patrols, each consisting of three soldiers—one officer and two privates. Their task is to catch deserters and return them to the barracks.
Numbers of the North Korean army
The North Korean army ranks fourth in the world in size, with 1.2 million soldiers. Only the armed forces of China, India, the United States, and Russia have more personnel.
Kim Jong Un's army has 4,000 tanks, 2,500 combat vehicles, and 1,700 aircraft. These numbers might be more impressive if 90% of the equipment wasn't from the Cold War era. This significantly lowers the combat effectiveness of North Korean units.
In the Global Firepower rankings, North Korea's armed forces rank 36th. For comparison, South Korea ranks 5th in the mentioned ranking.
