North Korean

2024 - 11 - 5

Kim Jong-un's Dream Team: A Troop of Nutritionally Challenged Soldiers on their First Day Out!

International Relations - Kim Jong-un - Military Troops - North Korea - Russia - U.S. Foreign Policy - Ukraine Conflict

Did North Korea just send a bunch of untrained, hungry soldiers to Ukraine? Spoiler alert: They did! Dive into the chaos of world politics and military misadventures!

Ambassador Julie Turner, the Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, is set to venture to Europe from November 5 to 8, 2024. Her agenda, while primarily focused on human rights, is entwined with the emerging concerns regarding North Korean military involvement in Ukraine. With tensions rising globally, the world now bears witness to a rather unusual spectacle: North Korean troops being deployed far from home to support Russia's military efforts.

Doubt has been cast on the capability of these troops, which Kim Jong-un touts as the strongest army. Reports suggest that many of these soldiers are inexperienced, poorly trained, and facing severe malnutrition. None of them have seen actual combat, and their unfamiliarity with the terrain adds to their woes. The situation raises eyebrows as the world begins to wonder how these underfed forces will fare in a conflict that has already seen plenty of chaos and carnage.

In a stunning escalation, Ukrainian forces reported their first combat engagements with North Korean troops stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian officials indicated that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed in this region, which dramatically raises the stakes. Now, military analysts are on edge, weighing the implications of rusty soldiers facing seasoned combatants. As President Zelensky of Ukraine warns, these troops could become legitimate targets if they enter the conflict, which leaves many to speculate on the outcome.

Lastly, the Pentagon has corroborated these alarming reports, even as North Korea continues to show off its military might with the launch of short-range ballistic missiles. Just days ago, they fired an array of missiles towards the sea while tensions mount globally over their military ambitions. It seems that as North Korea struts its stuff with missiles in one hand and starving troops in the other, the international community watches in disbelief and amusement. Now, who would’ve thought the world’s stage would feel more like a sitcom episode?

Here’s a fun fact: North Korea appears to be trying to balance its military ego with practically malnourished soldiers, showing just how twisted the situation has become! Meanwhile, North Korean arms displays could be directing attention away from their underfunded human rights issues, which Ambassador Turner hopes to address on her European tour.

Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues Turner's ... (Department of State)

Ambassador Julie Turner, Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, will travel to Europe November 5-8, 2024. Ambassador Turner will visit London ...

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Inexperienced, poorly trained and underfed: the North Korean troops ... (The Guardian)

Kim Jong-un has called his army the 'strongest in the world' but they are vulnerable to malnutrition, and none have seen combat or know the terrain in ...

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Image courtesy of "Financial Times"

Ukraine says it has attacked North Korean troops in Kursk (Financial Times)

Ukrainian officials said on Monday that their forces had fired at North Korean soldiers in combat for the first time since their deployment by Russia to its ...

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Image courtesy of "Department of Defense"

Pentagon Says 10K North Korean Troops in Kursk Oblast (Department of Defense)

The Pentagon press secretary said if 10000 North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast enter combat, they are legitimate targets for Ukrainian soldiers.,

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Image courtesy of "Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty"

Number Of North Korean Troops In Kursk Grows To 11000 ... (Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on November 4 that 11000 North Korean troops had reached Russia's Kursk region, according to Kyiv's ...

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Image courtesy of "Voice of America"

At UN, US confronts Russia over North Korean troops for Ukraine (Voice of America)

Troops take part in training at a base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces, at an undisclosed location in North Korea, in this picture taken ...

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Image courtesy of "The Globe and Mail"

North Korean soldiers reportedly face Ukrainian fire for first time ... (The Globe and Mail)

The clash reportedly took place in the Kursk region of Russia, which has been under partial Ukrainian occupation since the summer.

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Image courtesy of "UH System Current News"

Q&A: UH expert on North Korea sending troops to Russia to fight in ... (UH System Current News)

Last September, Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin met in Russia and that's when they began talking about military cooperation in exchange for technical and ...

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Image courtesy of "Aljazeera.com"

Putin meets N Korea foreign minister as Kyiv warns of troop ... (Aljazeera.com)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 11000 North Korean troops are in Russia's Kursk region bordering Ukraine.

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Image courtesy of "Aljazeera.com"

North Korea launches barrage of short-range ballistic missiles ... (Aljazeera.com)

South Korea's military said 'several' ballistic missiles were launched by North Korea in its latest weapons display.

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Image courtesy of "BNN"

North Korea Fires Suspected Ballistic Missile Before US Vote (BNN)

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile on Tuesday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Japan's Coast Guard, ratcheting up tensions ...

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Image courtesy of "Delta-Optimist"

North Korea fires a barrage of ballistic missiles toward the sea ... (Delta-Optimist)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Tuesday, its neighbors said, as it continued its ...

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Image courtesy of "ABC News"

10000 North Korean troops now in Russia's Kursk region, Pentagon ... (ABC News)

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024.

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Image courtesy of "Aljazeera.com"

North Korean troops reportedly on Russian front lines amid ... (Aljazeera.com)

A combat role for Pyongyang's troops risks entry of third state into conflict prompted by Moscow's invasion in 2022.

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Image courtesy of "European Council on Foreign Relations"

Pyongyang's power play: How the EU should respond to North ... (European Council on Foreign Relations)

North Korea's troop deployment to the Russian front represents a fundamental shift in Europe's security relations with east Asia.

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Image courtesy of "ABC News"

North Korean troops in Russia are shelled by Ukrainian forces, an ... (ABC News)

A Kyiv official says North Korean troops recently deployed to help Russia in its war with Ukraine have come under Ukrainian fire.

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Image courtesy of "POLITICO.eu"

Ukraine clashed with North Korean troops for the first time, minister ... (POLITICO.eu)

Rustem Umerov said there were “small-scale clashes” between Kyiv's forces and North Korean soldiers, in an interview with South Korean media. He did not provide ...

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