A soldier with the 81st Brigade of the Supreme Guard Command, which is tasked with guarding North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s ultra-luxurious Chamosan Villa in Pyongsong, South Pyongan Province, recently deserted with his weapon.
According to a Daily NK military source in North Korea on Friday, the 19-year-old soldier — identified by his family name of Ri — went missing with his automatic rifle and blank shells while he was patrolling a road at around 1 AM on Thursday.
His desertion caused an uproar in the 81st Brigade given that it took place amid the holding of the Fourth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee.
The military leadership had previously called for the prevention of “even a single irregular incident or accident” during the plenary meeting period. That failure has cast a pall over the 81st Brigade.
In fact, the authorities are treating the armed desertion of a soldier at a villa frequented by Kim for rest and relaxation as a “grave matter” pertaining to protecting the safety of the supreme leader himself.
The source said that authorities in South Pyongan Province and Pyongyang have put out wanted notices for the 19-year-old soldier.
“A brigade security platoon and military police have been dispatched to the surrounding area as part of efforts to seek out the missing soldier and arrest him,” he said.
TORMENTED TO DESERTION?
Meanwhile, an investigation by the Defense Security Bureau reportedly revealed that Ri — a new soldier who enlisted less than a year ago — was regularly tormented by his squadmates.
Not only did they force him to wash their uniforms, socks, footwraps and underwear, but they also made him do additional sentry shifts.
Since the start of the winter training period in early December, Ri had been performing over four hours of overtime a day, according to the source.
Moreover, higher-ranking soldiers reportedly did not let him sleep when he returned from guard duty, forcing him to memorize a list of things “sentries aren’t allowed to do.”
Daily NK’s source said that the command of the 81st Brigade and Supreme Guard Command believe Ri ultimately chose to desert his post due to psychological stress from the torment he suffered at the hand of older soldiers.
Meanwhile, the 81st Brigade is making every effort to quickly arrest the missing soldier, believing the incident “disgraces the Supreme Guard Command.”
“They are also searching the mountains near Chamosan Villa everyday, leaving open the possibility that he deserted without his weapon and gear after abandoning them in the mountains,” the source said.
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