North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday promised a “beautiful life” for the families of soldiers who lost their lives fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, according to a report published by The Associated Press. Kim’s statement came during a meeting with the bereaved families, where the North Korean leader expressed his grief and praised the soldiers’ valour.
A Tribute to Fallen Soldiers
On Friday, he hosted the families of the fallen soldiers and conveyed his condolences, saying, “I feel grief at having failed to save the precious lives of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to defend the country’s honour,” according to North Korea’s state news agency KCNA. Kim praised the soldiers and officers for their bravery, attributing their strength to the support of their families, whom he described as “the most tenacious, patriotic, and just people in the world.”
He went on to reassure the families, reportedly saying, “They did not write even a short letter to me, but I think they must have entrusted their families, including those beloved children, to me.” Kim promised to take care of them, vowing that North Korea would “provide you with a beautiful life in the country defended at the cost of the lives of the martyrs.”
Emotions Run High as Kim Bows to Grieving Families at the Meeting
Footage aired on North Korean state television showed Kim paying tribute by bowing deeply to the grieving family members. The meeting was one in a series of honors for North Korean soldiers who have suffered heavy casualties in Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine. This follows Kim’s earlier acknowledgment in April – alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin – that North Korean troops were deployed on the battlefield.
North Korea’s Role in Russia’s War Effort
A 25-minute unverified documentary footage aired on state TV highlighted the involvement of North Korean troops in ‘Operation Kursk Liberation’ aimed at driving Ukrainian forces from the region. According to the documentary, Kim had made the decision to deploy North Korean troops to Russia in August 2022, two months after he and Putin signed a mutual defense pact.
While the scale of North Korea’s military involvement remains unclear, South Korea’s intelligence agency has claimed that an estimated 600 North Korean soldiers have died out of a total deployment of 15,000. Western intelligence sources cited by Reuters, on the other hand, have estimated over 6,000 casualties.
Kim and Putin Strengthen Military Ties
Kim’s recent meeting with the families comes as he prepares for a military parade in China next week, where he will join Putin to mark the surrender of Japan in World War II. This will be the third such meeting between the two leaders, expected to further cement their growing military alliance.
