KPA assaults worst under Kim Jong Un
Violence and brutality in North Korea’s armed forces have surged after Kim Jong Un came into power, with severe beatings of lower ranking soldiers becoming more commonplace. This trend is also reflected in the testimony of a North Korean soldier who walked across the demilitarized zone to defect to the South on Monday, no longer able to handle extensive assaults.
After Kim Jong Un assumed leadership, internal monitoring and surveillance have been ramped up to establish order over officers and lower ranking soldiers. However, this approach has led to young troops frequently escaping or going absent without leave, as they are ordered into submission without being provided with proper food supplies.
“It’s never made public, but a lot of low-ranking soldiers perish from beatings by senior soldiers,” the source asserted. “Some nasty officers make a habit out of bullying soldiers in lower ranks, and sometimes end up beating them to death if they don’t follow their orders."
Moreover, outside of regular training, other chores such as taking care of small plots of land are also commonly delegated to younger troops; if these tasks fail to pass muster with upper ranks, again, violence is in order, according to the source.
[Source: DailyNK]
