Seoul, Korea
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North Korean leader Kim Jong gave emotional respect to soldiers killed while fighting for Russia in the war with Ukraine, saying he “stings my heart” with the rare tolerance of military losses.
According to North Korean state media KCNA, Kim made comments at a ceremony in Pyongyang on Thursday. He praised them as “heroic army,” and photos from state media show Kim pinning the awards to soldiers’ uniforms.
Photos released by KCNA showed Kim pinning the badge to the photo frame of the deceased soldier.
“My heart is bitter because I am faced with the reality that I can meet a noble person who has given up precious life for great victory and glory through photographs on the memorial wall,” he said in his speech, according to the KCNA.
“I don’t know how to express my regret and apologies for not being able to protect our precious son when I stand in front of the family of the bereaved soldier.”
The ceremony was shed tears, according to images released by North Korea. Kim met with the bereaved families who saw her sob and paying homage to the photographs of soldiers on the wall. In some images, Kim is seen accepting crying children and accepting soldiers.
Authorities then held a banquet to celebrate more of the returning troops, KCNA reported.
After a high-profile meeting between Kim and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, North Korea began sending numerous troops and equipment to support Russia’s war against Ukraine last year, bringing the authoritarian Asian power hidden at the heart of the European war.
Both Russia and North Korea initially refused to confirm the deployment, but have since publicly acknowledged the involvement of Pyongyang’s military.
Kim and his administration are nervous about reports that North Korean soldiers sent to fight in Kursk have suffered a major loss.
The Ukrainian and US intelligence agency suggests that Russia has around 12,000 North Korean troops, the first of which was sent in the fall of 2024.
Of that initial deployment, about 4,000 soldiers have been killed or injured, according to Western officials.
North Korea is one of the most militarized societies on the planet, with an estimated 1.2 million armed personnel and forced military service from the age of 17, but its forces have barely engaged in aggressive battles since the Korean War, when an armistice brought the enemy in 1953.
Pyongyang soldiers lack real-world fighting experience in modern war theatres and face unfamiliar terrain. However, some analysts have warned against the underestimation of North Korean forces fighting for Russia, saying they probably come from elite and highly indoctrinated forces.
In an interview with CNN, Ukrainian special operations forces described brutal and almost scientific tactics seen from North Korea on the battlefield. These include soldiers who exploded a hand-enlarged bullet next to their heads, rather than being captured. Others who remove helmets and heavy protective body armor to move faster when attacking Ukraine’s position.
Despite the great losses, cooperation between North Korea and Russia continues. Since the war began, Pyongyang has sent thousands of ammunition or munitions-related materials to Russia, and Moscow’s troops have launched North Korean missiles in Ukraine, US officials said.
New information from Ukrainian authorities in July suggested that North Korea would triple the number of Russian troops. This will send another 25,000-30,000 soldiers to support Moscow in the coming months.
Officials from the Western Intelligence Agency have confirmed the estimates, saying they saw information differently from the Ukraine rating, which shows the same numbers.
This also raises fear among international observers of what Moscow is offering Pyongyang in exchange for fear of advanced space and satellite technology, as well as technology that can boost the country’s nuclear weapons programme.
