Pyongyang, North Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reinforced the importance of soldier obedience in a speech at Kim Il Sung University of Politics, an institution dedicated to ideological education within the Korean People’s Army (KPA). His remarks come as North Korean troops continue to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, although he made no direct mention of their deployment.
The visit, which coincided with the university’s 80th anniversary, was reported by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Tuesday. The university is responsible for training “competent political workers” who instill loyalty to the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) within the military ranks.
A Call for Absolute Loyalty
During his address, Kim emphasized that soldiers must embrace absolute obedience, even if it means sacrificing their lives for the country. He asserted that ideological education is more crucial than military technology, suggesting that unindoctrinated soldiers are ineffective on the battlefield.
“Imbuing the army with ideology before arming it with military technology is the core of army building,” Kim stated. “From a historical perspective and even in modern warfare, we clearly see the limitation of prioritizing military technology over ideological foundation.”
His words appear to be a veiled acknowledgment of challenges faced by North Korean troops in Russia. Reports indicate that some captured soldiers expressed discontent over misleading military indoctrination, which led them into combat without prior warning.
Growing Challenges for North Korean Troops in Russia
Since late 2024, North Korea has been actively supporting Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, though Pyongyang has yet to officially recognize its involvement. Ukrainian forces recently captured two North Korean soldiers who disclosed the intense discipline within their units. One of the captives detailed how ideological educators falsely claimed that South Korean troops were launching drone attacks against them, a tactic likely used to boost morale and motivation.
Kim briefly acknowledged “some deviations” among military ideology educators, but KCNA did not specify whether these issues occurred domestically or on the Russian battlefield.
Reinforcing Ideological Training Amid Mounting Losses
Despite avoiding direct references to the war in Ukraine, Kim’s speech sent a strong signal to military leadership to tighten control over deployed troops. His remarks come amid growing concerns over the fate of North Korean soldiers in Russia, with reports suggesting thousands have died in combat. It remains unclear whether their bodies are repatriated or if families in North Korea are informed of their deaths.
The KCNA report included images of Kim touring the university, posing for group photos with students and staff, and watching an outdoor soccer match. Notably, several high-ranking officials typically seen accompanying Kim were absent, including Central Military Commission (CMC) members Ri Chang Ho and Ri Pyong Chol, the latter of whom was recently demoted.
Implications for Regional Security
A photograph from the visit showed students analyzing attack plans on the South Korean city of Sacheon, a strategic location housing a large air force base. While North Korea frequently references potential attacks on South Korea in military training, its ongoing war involvement in Europe remains shrouded in secrecy.
Kim’s visit to Kim Il Sung University of Politics marks his first since 2014, though he has made multiple high-profile visits to other military institutions in recent months. These include the Ministry of National Defense, the Academy of Defense Science, and key military academies such as Kim Jong Il University of Military and Politics.
As North Korea continues its silent but significant involvement in Russia’s war, Kim’s renewed focus on ideological control over the KPA underscores the regime’s priority—ensuring unwavering loyalty even in the face of battlefield challenges.
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