North Korea is short of food: Hungry soldiers sell equipment to buy food.

The economic situation in North Korea is dire, with a long-standing issue of food shortages, leading to soldiers in the country often being hungry or malnourished. Sources have revealed that some hungry soldiers would secretly sell equipment issued by the military to civilians and use the money to buy food.

According to Radio Free Asia, North Korean residents have told the station that hungry soldiers in the country sell their personal belongings to buy food, prompting authorities to conduct inspections. The results of these inspections have revealed that some soldiers had already sold off their equipment.

While the supply within the North Korean military is often insufficient, military-grade items are often of better quality compared to civilian products, making them more desirable to the general population.

Unlike weapons that are regularly used in training exercises, personal equipment such as tents, mess tins, and canteens are not as frequently used, leading some soldiers to sell them off.

A resident of Hwanghae province in North Korea informed the radio station that authorities have started inspecting soldiers’ personal equipment this month and will continue to do so periodically.

The resident mentioned that authorities recently confirmed that some young soldiers were selling the equipment issued to them by the military or giving it to people they know because they are hungry and need money. In fact, during the recent inspections, many soldiers were found to be lacking the required equipment. Those found with insufficient equipment will face severe punishment.

The authorities will inquire about how these soldiers disposed of their equipment and take necessary actions, such as requiring them to retrieve the equipment or pay compensation.

A resident in Pyonganbukdo province told the radio station that a military unit in the area conducted a surprise inspection on soldiers, ordering them to gather in an open area for combat drills.

The resident stated, “I heard this news from a soldier who frequently visits my home.” The main items found to be lacking during the inspection were waterproof containers for storing rice and personal tents. Additionally, one unit was short of a few shovels.

The containers for rice are essential for everyone, and tents can be used to cover holes in roofs of houses and other buildings.

In North Korea, physically fit males start serving a 10-year military service around the age of 18 after graduating from high school, while physically fit females must serve for 7 years. However, the military rations are meager, leading some new recruits to ask their parents for food supply shortly after enlisting.

The resident mentioned, “Some new recruits are so hungry that they secretly sell military supplies. Unless (the North Korean authorities) address long-standing issues like hunger, it will be difficult to completely eradicate this phenomenon.”

In addition to selling military equipment, North Korean soldiers also steal crops from civilians and even cross the border into China to steal food from residential areas.

In a previous report by Epoch Times, in July 2019, two soldiers serving in Sakchu County, Ponganbukdo province, North Korea, crossed the border into Dandong city, Liaoning province, China, and attempted to burglarize a residential home. They were caught by several residents who heard the commotion.

Sources stated that they were ordinary soldiers in their early twenties. At that time, they were wearing military uniforms but did not carry firearms. “The Chinese side believed that the North Korean soldiers crossed the border to obtain food.”