North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has awarded medals to his returning and fallen troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine.
The ceremony, held at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang, was attended by bereaved family members of slain troops. Kim laid a flower at a memorial wall for North Korean soldiers killed overseas and met with visibly emotional family members of fallen soldiers.
“The combat activities of overseas operational forces … proved without regret the power of the heroic [North Korean] army,” and that the “liberation of Kursk” proved the “fighting spirit of the heroes”,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim also stated that “our army is now doing what it ought to do and what needs to be done. It will do so in the future, too.”
South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have reported that Pyongyang sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region in 2024, along with artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rocket systems to be used by Russia against Ukraine.
Approximately 600 North Korean soldiers were killed, and thousands were wounded fighting for Russia, according to Seoul’s intelligence estimates.
Kim’s remarks come as United States President Donald Trump ramps up efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, having held high-profile talks with the leaders of both countries in recent days.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has avoided meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy for peace talks, and Russian attacks on Ukraine have escalated as Moscow’s troops make strong gains on the front lines of the war.
Russia and North Korea have been forging increasingly close ties, including signing a mutual defense pact last year when Putin visited the reclusive state.
The pact has raised concerns about the potential implications for regional security and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The development of North Korea’s military cooperation with Russia has significant implications for the balance of power in the region.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the international community remains watchful of the evolving dynamics between Russia, North Korea, and other key players.