Amid reports that North Korea has dispatched about 10,000 soldiers to Russia, it has been revealed that the allowances received by these soldiers from the Russian government are more than 20 times North Korea's per capita national income and over 1,100 times the monthly salary of a North Korean soldier. Even if they receive such a huge salary, it is expected that the money will be taken by the North Korean authorities rather than being used for themselves or their families.

According to a summary of foreign media reports including CNN (US) and Deutsche Welle (Germany) on the 21st (local time), foreign-born Russian soldiers reportedly receive a monthly allowance of around $2,000 (about 2.76 million KRW). This amount is similar to the monthly salary of Russian national soldiers, which is known to be 200,000 rubles (about 2.83 million KRW).

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The Russian military also pays a "signing bonus" to newly enlisted soldiers, but foreigners receive much less than locals. A Sri Lankan-born Russian soldier interviewed by Deutsche Welle stated, "I received a $2,000 signing bonus." Russian authorities provide a signing bonus of 1.9 million rubles (about 26.92 million KRW) to their own soldiers.

Both the monthly salary and the signing bonus are unimaginable sums for North Korean soldiers. As of last year, North Korea's nominal per capita gross national income (GDI) was about 1.59 million KRW, making it one of the poorest countries in the world.

The average annual income of North Korean residents is not specifically known, but according to an estimate by Radio Free Asia (RFA) based on testimonies from defectors earlier this year, the average monthly wage for factory workers is about 2,500 won ($1.81). In other words, based on worker wages, the monthly salary for a North Korean soldier deployed to the Ukrainian front would increase by about 1,104 times.

Currently, the monthly salary of Russian soldiers is very high even by Russian standards. The annual salary for soldiers is set at about three times the average income of ordinary Russian workers. As a result, young people from the outskirts of Moscow, foreign workers from poor countries, and mercenaries are reportedly enlisting voluntarily.

North Korean soldiers receiving supplies in Russia [Image source=Screenshot from SPRAVDI, Strategic Communication and Information Security Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces]

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However, experts analyze that their chances of survival are not high. The British political and economic magazine The Economist reported the opinion of Ukrainian intelligence authorities that the Russian military is essentially using foreign soldiers as "cannon fodder," stating, "A significant number of foreign recruits are killed on the battlefield, and the Russian military deliberately sends them first to identify the positions of Ukrainian forces."

Meanwhile, the National Intelligence Service announced on the 18th that North Korea has decided to dispatch 12,000 troops to the Ukrainian front. It was reported that this force includes 1,500 members of North Korea's special forces, the "Storm Corps."

On the 7th, North Korean National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jongun visited the Kim Jongun National Defense Comprehensive University, which celebrated its 60th anniversary. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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However, the US government has not yet confirmed the dispatch of North Korean troops and maintains that investigations are ongoing. John Kirby, the US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, responded to a question about the issue during an online briefing the previous day, saying, "If it is true that North Korean soldiers are going to Ukraine, it is a dangerous and very concerning situation," and added, "We are consulting with our allies and partners and plan to address this issue in the coming days."