$200m a year, 700,000 tons of rice, space tech: The deal for North Korea in joining Russia’s war (www.koreaherald.com)
from MicroWave@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 03 Nov 23:15
https://lemmy.world/post/21604775

Summary

North Korea is sending thousands of soldiers to support Russia in the Ukraine war, expecting compensation of $200 million annually. In return, Russia is providing North Korea with rice, advanced space technology, and potential military assistance in the event of a contingency on the Korean Peninsula.

Despite the the National Intelligence Service’s assessment that the costs outweigh the benefits, experts believe North Korea is securing a strategic advantage by aligning itself with Russia.

#world

threaded - newest

RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com on 04 Nov 00:05 next collapse

I thought Russian space tech was rugged and outdated at best?

bamboo@lemm.ee on 04 Nov 00:14 collapse

Compared to the US and China? Sure. Compared to North Korea, not really as much.

Rivalarrival@lemmy.today on 04 Nov 00:22 next collapse

Honestly, this is probably the best news that the Korean Peninsula has had in 70 years. Anything to start dragging the hermit kingdom out of its cave isn’t entirely bad news.

MonkeMischief@lemmy.today on 04 Nov 07:56 collapse

I’ve heard rumors that some of those troops have witnessed the outside world and are already deserting lol.

bassomitron@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 13:34 next collapse

Any reliable sources? I wouldn’t doubt it for a minute, but I would think the NK and Russian military leadership would have them watched like hawks.

MonkeMischief@lemmy.today on 05 Nov 19:06 collapse

Haha I mean I did say rumors, but…reliable? Here’s a link I found. Definitely have more journalistic chops than I do, at least, but who knows at this point.

newsweek.com/north-korean-troops-deserting-ukrain…

Rivalarrival@lemmy.today on 04 Nov 16:09 collapse

They definitely don’t want those troops coming back home and talking about their time in the west.

someguy3@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 00:38 next collapse

Well at least it’s not nuke or nuke delivery stuff. That’s what I was worried about.

They grow rice in Russia?

The Krasnodar region accounts for around 73% of Russian rice output.

That’s next to the black sea.

ThePyroPython@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 01:05 next collapse

I’ve got bad news for you bud about what was originally placed on those Russian rockets before Sputnik, Lyka, and Gagarin.

someguy3@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 01:16 next collapse

Space tech has really broadened since then. Sounds to me like they’re avoiding weapons.

catloaf@lemm.ee on 04 Nov 04:13 collapse

Rice?

solrize@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 01:41 next collapse

nuke delivery stuff

That’s what space tech means, I thought.

someguy3@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 02:45 next collapse

Could be satellites for intelligence and all the tech that goes on it. Not the easiest stuff to develop or manufacture. If I’m Russia I would protect the family jewels (nuke and nuke delivery). If NK got rice out of the deal they’re probably not jumping straight to ICBM tech.

solrize@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 03:32 collapse

NK already has missile tech, just not clear whether it has real intercontinental range. The US and Russia did that in the 1950s though.

someguy3@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 04:07 collapse

I wonder if targeting is an issue. Range is easy, accurate targeting is not.

JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works on 04 Nov 04:11 next collapse

Their recent launches have been using field Russia more commonly uses, so they might be getting Russian engines.

CmdrShepard42@lemm.ee on 04 Nov 04:58 collapse

I doubt Russia would want that since NK is unstable and can easily point those weapons back at them at some point in the future.

dlatch@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 06:50 collapse

Russian decisions over the past few years haven’t exactly shown much long-term strategic choices or forethought, so I doubt this is an argument for them

RandomStickman@fedia.io on 04 Nov 01:07 collapse

I have some bad news for you

someguy3@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 02:41 collapse

“Ask for” well no shit NK wants and will ask for it. Anyone can figure that out. Gonna need more than the literal “speculation” the article says. Like I answered to the other guy, space tech is pretty broad these days.

andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works on 04 Nov 03:42 next collapse

NK importing rice from Russia is funny as it is. The depressing part comes in whenever Kim would like to challenge South Korea’s statehood, EU and US would not want to get involved, just like they do with Ukraine, because NK is a chinese proxy and they don’t want to offend China too much. Although NK’s army is outdated and idiotic, they can still cause a lot of harm, especially if supported by other states.

bassomitron@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 13:31 collapse

The US would have to get involved, South Korea is a military ally. We literally have thousands of troops and military bases inside their country. I think this is why the agreement with Russia only states “potential” aid from Russia in the event of a war with South Korea.

andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works on 04 Nov 13:49 collapse

I was optimistic about that before and now I want to believe you.

catloaf@lemm.ee on 04 Nov 04:14 next collapse

I feel like there’s something in between stuff as basic as rice and advanced as satellite launch systems that NK should probably be focusing on.

BruceTwarzen@lemm.ee on 04 Nov 07:15 collapse

This sounds like total age of empires stuff. We need rice and satellites.

JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works on 04 Nov 04:14 next collapse

It’s kinda crazy that another county just joined the war on the ground for Russia and there hasn’t been a huge response. I hope Ukraine’s allies can really step up the support, maybe even responding in kind by sending engineering forces.

semperverus@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 04:44 next collapse

If it had been any other country in the world, you might have seen an actual response. North Korea is not to be taken seriously until they have proven otherwise, and with an impoverished, famished population that is locked further in the past than Russia, I doubt we will see much in the way of meaningful action from them.

MonkeMischief@lemmy.today on 04 Nov 07:55 collapse

I would agree, although a human with an AK is still a human with an AK. Even unskilled, undertrained, under supplied infantry should be taken seriously because they’re still a large number of bodies that can pull triggers.

bassomitron@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 13:29 collapse

Agreed. And for every few dozen shitty infantry grunts, there’s going to be at least a few that end up being very competent at the job and are effective at killing Ukrainian soldiers.

raker@lemmy.world on 05 Nov 19:43 collapse

Lately a Russian POW admitted NKs already shoot at least 3 Russian soldiers, friendly fire.

Etterra@lemmy.world on 04 Nov 07:57 next collapse

“…oh yeah and throw in some rice for the starving peasants I guess.”

Kim Fatty 3rd, probably

YeetPics@mander.xyz on 05 Nov 20:02 next collapse

Someone help lil Kim get up to space so his citizens can starve to death among the cosmos.

Passerby6497@lemmy.world on 05 Nov 20:08 collapse

expecting compensation of $200 million annually.

Trump hosting venues have been expecting compensation for years, if not decades. I’m sure Russia will be a much better debtor than trump, surely. LOL