North Korea’s military plans to hold a series of political lectures to combat rising desertions that occurred during winter exercises from December to March.
“The General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army has ordered special political lectures throughout the military due to a serious increase in desertions during the winter exercises’ assessment phase. Lecture notes titled ‘Boosting political and ideological loyalty is the military’s first strategic task’ were distributed to political departments across all army units on April 1,” a North Korean military source told Daily NK recently.
The Bureau emphasized the need to instill ideological conviction in all ranks and transform soldiers into true patriots through these lectures. The goal is to use political indoctrination to strengthen military discipline and prevent further desertions.
According to the source, the bureau determined that desertions during winter exercises increased by 20% compared to last year, with more soldiers failing to return to their units.
The bureau believes that amid weakening control, failing to bolster troops’ ideological commitment could lead to a complete breakdown of military discipline. This prompted orders for three weekly special political lectures throughout April, when soldiers typically work outdoors on military farms and barracks construction.
The lecture title comes directly from Kim Jong Un’s orders. The phrase “countries with weak militaries are preyed upon by the imperialists” reportedly appears frequently in the materials.
The lectures call for soldiers to demonstrate “practical loyalty.” They reference an episode where Kim Jong Un, while inspecting front-line units years ago and checking on desertion status, expressed hope that absent soldiers would return.
The materials conclude by stating that “units with no deserters are the kind of high-impact units always ready to host our supreme commander.” They emphasize that the solution to desertion is always “training willpower.”
The bureau has attributed desertion to “inadequate willpower” and plans to significantly expand indoctrination programs, including trips to revolutionary sites.
While the bureau believes these programs will strengthen unity, some question whether this addresses the root problem.
“In reality, many units say what needs boosting isn’t indoctrination but rations. Many believe soldiers wouldn’t run away if they were better fed and not forced into civilian construction projects,” the source said.
“Unit political departments think April’s lectures will prevent desertions and reinvigorate soldiers’ commitment. But some commanders expect them to be just a flash in the pan—more of the same propaganda.”
April 08, 2025 at 07:15AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)