Today’s story about car theft by military drivers in Chongjin reveals a backdrop of economic difficulties even for the military on the one hand, and the struggle of drivers to hold onto their position, which is one of the most sought-after in the military, on the other.
Even though the status of a driver in the military depends entirely on the owner of the car, a cadre or military official, the position is still among the most desirable for young people who are facing military service.
The source from Chongjin who released the story about car theft cases today explained, “When new recruits get to the base, cadres select their driver based on family background, their parents’ political positions, living conditions and so on, and then send them to driver training camp. After that, the cadres have them as their drivers. They become private errand boys, messengers, aides-de-camp or traders for them.”
Another defector who used to be a military official told the Daily NK, “It is much more difficult to go to driver training camp than a military academy,” and added that a soldier must have a faultless family background in order to serve in the army as a driver.
Another defector who was an NSA agent on a military base said, “The power of a cadre’s driver is high enough to look down even on the commander of a battalion or regiment within the corps.”
He explained, “A division commander, political commissar or base NSA agent’s driver is called a ‘small’ cadre, and they even get involved in the personnel management of officials.”
In terms of rank, drivers are first lieutenants when they drive the commander of the army corps, drivers of a political committee member or chief of the NSA in a division are second lieutenants, a division commander’s driver is a sergeant major, and that of a political committee member or chief of the NSA in a corps is a master sergeant.
According to the source, cadres often demand things well beyond a driver’s remit, but the drivers tend to accept it because it makes it comparatively easily for them to enter the Workers’ Party and get a recommendation for college once they finish their military service.
