1- Soldiers are brainwashed.
One may think that no one would support violence against
another person, regardless of their nationality or political affiliation. But
not in North Korea here even if some North Korean soldiers oppose violence,
army leaders are trying to change that.
It is said that they spend 60% of their time learning the
correct ideology. Right as in North Korea is superior to other nations and all
of those other nations want to strike them.
As a result, they must constantly be vigilant, obey Kim
Jong-un no matter what, and be willing to risk their lives to uphold him. They
reportedly do, so that future generations can lead joyful lives similar to
their own.
However, brainwashing isn't so hard in an isolated country.
2-
The uniforms injure the soldiers.
Wearing a uniform is
pretty mandatory for any army. Usually, it's a source of honor and respect.
But in the isolated nation, the uniform is also a source of
injuries and pain. According to former soldiers, due to economic reasons, they
even have to wear thin cotton stuffed boots during the peak time of cold winter
months.
They aren't durable enough to keep the soldiers from getting
frostbite and they eventually fall apart quickly. However, they end up hurting
and causing injuries to the soldiers.
3-
Compulsory military service
for every one.
Yes, everyone in this context refers to both men and women. Every
man is required to serve his country for 10 years, while women are required to serve
until the age of 23.
But males who are fortunate enough to enroll in college and
earn a bachelor's degree, we are permitted to serve for around five years
following graduation. Important national scientists reportedly only served for
three years. Perhaps the worst part is only a few citizens get graduation
degrees owing to a lack of schooling.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that North Korea
has the greatest army in the world in relation to its population. According to
estimates, there are 47 active soldiers for every 1,000 citizens.
4-
Things are even worse for
female soldiers.
Nowadays, equality is a crucial factor that is taken into
consideration on a global scale. Even women need to be treated equally and
given the same rights as males in today's society, but that isn't precisely the
situation in the North Korean army.
Many women experience physical violence or humiliation
during the five to six years of their mandatory military service. The right
place for them is considered to be the kitchen.
Former soldiers told how executive officers and commanders
trouble female recruits, touching them inappropriately. It could start with a
touch on the neck or hips and escalate to something even more inappropriate. Out
of an estimated country's population of 51.5 percent of women, there is only
2.62 percent of women currently serving in the military. Because of the
horrible conditions they live in, the hard draining and malnutrition, a lot of
them skip their menstruation for years. They claim that this may be for their
benefit, as they would suffer even more if they had to wash and reuse cotton
pads.
5-
Military hospitals are
unsafe.
North Korean soldiers who have been brainwashed consider it
an honor to suffer harm or perish while serving their leaders. So, what happens
to the injured soldiers?
They are transported to a special military treatment
facility. However, those centers have no free medications. Former soldiers who
were questioned about their treatment said that they had to pay for it and that
even then, all they received was alcohol rubbed on them.
Obviously, that only makes things worse and causes even more
pain. When treatment doesn't help, they are kicked out of the army. In case of
loss of life, there's no compensation for the family. Only a certificate detailing
the soldier's service duration is given to them.
6-
There's no way to escape.
The most natural thing to do is avoid all the suffering pain
and cruelty that seems to be escaping the army. This has been attempted
numerous times, and each time it fails.
Defection is not something Kim Jong-un supports, especially
when soldiers attempt to leave the nation. Running away abroad often seems like
the only route to safety.
Those attempting to cross the Tumen River are primarily
executed because the North Korean leader thinks it is harmful for the
reputation of the country. Plus, military seniors who didn't stop their
recruits from escaping or failed to inform them about their plot get punished
too. Because of this, relatively few people have the guts to attempt to flee.
7-
The nutrition is so
terrible that they can barely walk.
Many people believe that 10 years of unpaid military service
would be difficult enough. Then just imagine undergoing rigorous military
training on a diet of rock-horn kernels or a few potatoes each day, and even
those aren't assured until the potato harvesting season.
So, it's no surprise that two out of every five North
Koreans are undernourished. However, it could also explain why many North
Korean soldiers are a few inches shorter soldiers than the South Korean army.
When they get too weak to train effectively, they are sent
home to recover. At that point, many of them are too weak to walk unaided. Unfortunately,
not everyone lives up to that point.
Many soldiers pass away from hunger and related health
conditions. The situation didn't end there, soldiers battling for their life
are even frequently forced to rob farms and villages for their food.
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