North Korean locals fight back: Soldiers beaten after failed robbery attempt
Two soldiers from Kim Jong Un's army were severely beaten in North Korea when they tried to seize acorns and wild berries collected by locals. The soldiers set up a roadblock in mid-September, intending to forcibly take civilians' harvests, but their plan failed when the locals stood up to them.
2:32 PM EST, November 4, 2024
In one of the North Korean provinces, a young man, recently discharged from the military and working the night shift at a coal mine, went to the forest after work. He was gathering acorns to supplement his modest income. On his way back, he encountered two soldiers who attempted to take his backpack full of collected acorns.
The man defended himself, and another young man, who had previously fallen victim to similar behavior by the soldiers, joined the confrontation. As a result, both of Kim Jong Un's soldiers were severely beaten—they fell to the ground unconscious.
Every year at this time, people living near the Changsan coal mine go to the forest to pick berries and herbs as an additional source of food. And every year, soldiers of the Korean People's Army resort to banditry, an anonymous source told the "Daily NK" portal.
Some soldiers often set up roadblocks, claiming that the area is reserved for the military. If it is a restricted military area, they should prevent people from entering it and not just steal their berries and backpacks, which really annoys the locals, stated an informant from the portal.
News of the beating of two soldiers who attempted to rob locals quickly spread in the community. Many people expressed joy at seeing the soldiers punished for their actions. Although soldiers often use violence against civilians, it is rare for them to become the victims.
The soldiers did not report the incident to their superiors. Instead, they seem to be trying to track down the civilians who beat them so they can take revenge, claims an informant for "Daily NK".
After the incident of the beating, soldiers in the area began to limit their aggressive behaviors, targeting mainly women and teenage boys. They started to avoid adult men.
