A defector organization in South Korea reported North Korea’s economy is in such poor shape the country’s army can’t even feed its own soldiers, instead ordering some military personnel to go home for a month and return to their unit with 150kg of corn. However, according to one contact inside the country assigned to an Air Force base, most personnel return without the required food.
On a more serious note, the same organization reported 500-600 soldiers from one brigade refused to work and launched a demonstration after going without rations for two days last month.
Starving soldiers refusing orders and launching demonstrations … one reason behind the North launching an international campaign “begging” for food handouts. Also a sign of impending provocations, to help unify the country around the leadership, if the campaign proves unsuccessful in attracting significant aid.