North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has paid an emotional tribute to soldiers killed while fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine, saying his ‘heart aches’ in a rare admission of military losses.
Kim made the comments on Thursday at a ceremony in Pyongyang, where he met with commanders of a unit that had fought for Russia in the western Kursk region, according to North Korean state media KCNA. He praised them as “a heroic army,” with state media photos showing Kim pinning commendation badges on soldiers’ uniforms.
“My heart aches and is bitter as I face the reality that I only get to meet the noble figures who gave up their precious lives for great victory and glory through photos on the memorial wall,” he said in a speech, according to KCNA.
“As I stand in front of the bereaved families of the fallen soldiers, I don’t know how to express my regret and apologies for not being able to protect our precious sons.”
According to CNN, the ceremony was also tearful, according to the images released by North Korea, with Kim meeting with bereaved family members who were seen sobbing and paying tribute to soldiers’ photos on the wall. In several images, Kim is seen embracing crying children and embracing soldiers.
Authorities then held a banquet to further celebrate the unit that had returned, KCNA reported.
North Korea began sending large numbers of troops and equipment to support Russia’s war against Ukraine last year after high profile meetings between Kim and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, bringing a reclusive and autocratic Asian power into the heart of a European war.
Both Russia and North Korea initially refused to confirm any deployments, but have since publicly acknowledged the involvement of Pyongyang’s forces.
Kim and his regime have been tight-lipped about reports that the North Korean soldiers sent to fight in Kursk have suffered heavy losses – making this week’s ceremony a rare admission of how damaging the impact has been.
About 12,000 North Korean soldiers are estimated to be in Russia, with intelligence suggesting Kim plans to soon triple that number. – KCNA
Of that initial deployment, about 4,000 soldiers have been killed or wounded according to Western officials.
While North Korea is one of the most militarized societies on earth – with an estimated 1.2 million armed service personnel and mandatory military service from age 17 – its forces have done very little active fighting since the Korean War, where an armistice brought hostilities to a halt in 1953.
Pyongyang’s soldiers lack real-world battle experience and face unfamiliar terrain in a modern war theater. But some analysts have warned against underestimating North Korean troops fighting for Russia, saying they likely come from elite and highly indoctrinated forces.
In interviews with CNN, Ukrainian special operations forces described the brutal and near-suicidal tactics they’ve seen from North Koreans on the battlefield. These include a soldier who detonated a grenade next to his head rather than be captured; and others who removed their helmets and heavy protective body armor to move faster in attacking Ukrainian positions.
Despite heavy losses, North Korea’s cooperation with Russia has continued. Since the war began, Pyongyang has sent thousands of shipping containers of munitions or munitions-related material to Russia, and Moscow’s forces have launched North Korea-made missiles at Ukraine, according to US officials.
New intelligence from Ukrainian officials in July suggested North Korea is set to triple the number of its troops in Russia – sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to assist Moscow in the coming months.
A Western intelligence official confirmed the estimate, saying they had seen information separate to the Ukrainian assessment that indicated the same numbers.
That has also raised fears among international observers of what Moscow may be providing Pyongyang in exchange – such as advanced space or satellite technology, and technology that could boost the country’s nuclear weapons program.
