Ukraine Unveils Diary of Fallen North Korean Soldier

News Summary

On Saturday, Ukraine's military unveiled the diary of a North Korean soldier named Jeong Kyeong Hong, who was killed in Russia's western front-line area of Kursk.

"The crime I committed cannot be forgiven but my fatherland gave me a new opportunity in life," Jeong wrote in an entry, mentioning he betrayed the North's ruling party after being offered a promotion to platoon sergeant major.

"If we win here and return to the fatherland, I will make a petition to the mother party ... In this operation, I will run at the front of the line and follow the orders of comrade commander-in-chief unconditionally and thoroughly even if I have to give up my life," Jeong added.

Commentary

Jeong's diary reveals that the Kim regime enlisted convicts as soldiers to dispatch to Russia with a promise of pardon upon their return.

This indicates that recruiting soldiers to send to Russia was a challenging task for the Kim regime, as evidenced by their decision to enlist even convicts.

This can also imply that being dispatched to Russia is not something typical North Korean soldiers may want to experience.

Given that, the Kim regime increases its risk with each additional soldier it sends to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

As more news of casualties among North Korean soldiers arrives at home, Kim Jong Un will have to deal with growing anger and dissatisfaction among his military.