Why Are North Korean Soldiers Rarely Captured in the War in Russia? German Media: They All Killed Themselves
To "save face" for the weak frontline Ukrainian forces, German media has gone to great lengths. Recently, German media stated that after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, many North Korean soldiers have entered the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to South Korean intelligence, North Korea has at least sent 30,000 soldiers into Russia for combat. But why have the Ukrainians only captured two North Korean prisoners?
This question puzzled the Germans, because at the same time, out of 250,000 frontline Ukrainian soldiers, 8,000 were captured, which compared with only 2 captured North Koreans among 30,000, seems to show that the Ukrainian forces are very weak. Therefore, German media came to a conclusion: the reason why few North Korean soldiers were captured is because "the North Korean military forced soldiers to commit suicide before being captured," and they said this conclusion was mentioned in a report from the South Korean National Intelligence Service to the South Korean Parliament.
This is interesting. Let's not even talk about Germany, but just consider countries such as China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and even Vietnam, which have been influenced by the Chinese cultural sphere, especially the ancient Confucian culture. These countries have a common belief that "captivity is a disgrace." This was reflected in the Japanese "Kamikaze" actions during World War II. In the East Asian cultural circle, dying on the battlefield and being wrapped in horsehide is considered a honor. Anyone who understands this can easily see that the claim that "South Korean military forced soldiers to commit suicide" is somewhat absurd.
In fact, one of the main reasons why North Korean soldiers have few captures on the Ukraine battlefield is that these North Korean troops were not deployed to the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war, but mainly stationed in areas such as Kursk, taking more responsibility for guarding tasks. North Korean troops closer to the rear are more likely to be rescued by their comrades when injured. Additionally, the combat skills of North Korean troops are high, which also avoids large numbers of captures. After all, the ones currently on the front line of the Ukraine war are mostly inexperienced "conscripts," and when the guns start firing, many lose their will to fight, so it's not strange that many are captured. Of course, it is also possible that some North Korean soldiers choose to commit suicide before capture when they see no hope of survival, as it is considered the "highest honor" for soldiers.
As for South Korean soldiers not understanding this, it's not their fault. After all, during the Korean War, the South Korean army originally served as "cannon fodder," and when they retreated, they ran faster than the Americans. It's not easy for them to understand the concept of military honor.
Original text: www.toutiao.com/article/1840329025867780/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.