The longer North Korea’s current period of military tension has gone on, the lower the exercise participation rate of reserve forces has steadily become. This is leading the authorities to push for fuller participation with warnings of severe punishment.
A North Hamkyung Province source told Daily NK on the 21st, “The military training period for reserve forces has grown prolonged, so there are now more incidents where young people and local civilians are not participating. The commanders trying to lead them are always saying that ‘these are not empty words; there will be severe punishments if you do not participate in these training exercises.”
The Worker and Peasant Red Guard and other reserve forces have now been in a state of mobilization for almost three months, since a ‘Preparation for Combat Mobilization’ posture was adopted immediately following the country’s rocket launch on December 12th last year.
“Without giving any information on when the training period will end, they just keep emphasizing that we have to maintain our vigilance,” the source said. “They inspect participants every day, telling them that ‘We will go on with this for as long as the South Chosun puppets and U.S. imperialist invaders continue with their provocative war exercises.’”
“Most people agree that these training exercises are being conducted far more strictly than in the past,” the source added. “A lot of people are participating mostly because they don’t want to be punished.”
