North Korean recruits preparing to enter military service this spring are worried about being assigned to front-line units or those requiring rigorous training.<\/p>\n
A source in South Pyongan province told Daily NK that on Feb. 27, the military manpower department in Kaechon informed recruits about their muster dates through local schools. The first cohort will assemble on March 16, the second on March 18, and the third on March 21. Recruits are counting down the days anxiously, unaware of their unit assignments.<\/p>\n
Speculation is rampant among North Koreans about possible destinations for each cohort\u2014whether they’ll be sent to front-line corps in Kangwon province or non-combat units like the Road Bureau, Seventh General Bureau, or Eighth General Bureau.<\/p>\n
“Officials at the city’s military manpower department generally know where spring recruits will be assigned but remain silent to maintain secrecy. Both recruits and their parents mainly hope for non-combat assignments, such as construction units, to avoid combat,” the source said.<\/p>\n
“In the past, carrying a shovel instead of a rifle during military service was considered embarrassing, but now it’s the opposite. Nine out of ten parents just want their children stationed somewhere they can find enough to eat, and the recruits feel the same,” the source added.<\/p>\n
Non-combat assignments with the Road Bureau, Seventh General Bureau, and Eighth General Bureau are highly preferred. The 1st Construction Brigade is considered ideal, as soldiers reportedly learn useful skills while receiving adequate rations. Positions at foreign currency-earning operations like gold mines and offshore fish farms are also desirable.<\/p>\n
The least favored assignments are with the front-line I Corps and V Corps in Kangwon province, where rations are poor and difficult to supplement due to the remote location. The XI Corps is also unpopular because of its mountainous terrain and notoriously demanding training regimen.<\/p>\n
“Units that recruits once avoided are now the most sought-after. Construction units offer potential overseas work opportunities. Recruits also prefer foreign currency operations like gold mines and offshore fish farms, which provide more chances for kickbacks and a relaxed environment allowing interaction with civilians,” the source explained.<\/p>\n
“All incoming recruits\u2014both men and women\u2014desperately hope to avoid front-line units like the I Corps and V Corps. Men prefer construction assignments, while women hope at minimum to join mixed-gender units,” the source concluded.<\/p>\n