Kim seen honoring troops killed in Ukraine war
PYONGYANG
State media images showed leader Kim Jong Un honoring the flag-draped coffins of North Korean soldiers killed helping Russia fight Ukraine, as Seoul's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it saw no signs of further troop deployments yet.
The nuclear-armed North has become one of Russia's main allies during its more than three-year-long Ukraine offensive, sending thousands of troops and container loads of weapons to help the Kremlin oust Ukrainian forces from Kursk.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, citing information from Seoul's spy agency.
The images of a visibly emotional Kim mourning the fallen soldiers were broadcast by the official Korean Central Television, released as part of an event in Pyongyang on June 30 attended by Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova.
It marked the one-year anniversary of a military pact signed by the two countries, which includes a mutual defense clause.
Kim was shown placing a North Korean flag over a coffin during a ceremony for the return of the remains of North Korean soldiers who were deployed and killed in Moscow's war against Kiev.
The footage also showed images of North Korean soldiers in the battlefield, accompanied by captions that said: "Oh, our heroes, shining stars of my homeland" and "those who gave their lives without hesitation to defend honor shine like radiant stars."
North Korean and Russian attendees were shown bursting into tears as they watched the tribute.
A photograph of a document, purportedly penned by Kim, was also featured, with a caption saying he had "approved operational plans for the liberation of Kursk and issued attack orders to special operations units" in the final months of 2024.
