August 21, 2025 | 08:34 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised the North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia in its war against Ukraine. According to a report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) cited by The Jerusalem Post on Thursday, August 21, 2025, Kim referred to the troops as heroic soldiers and praised their role in the battles in the Kursk region.
"Ours is a heroic army ... Our army has fully demonstrated its unique qualities. Such a result has cemented its appellation and reputation as the most powerful army in the world," Kim said.
KCNA reported that Kim greatly appreciated their achievements in leading the armed forces' combat units that participated in the liberation operations in the Kursk region of Russia. He was also reported to have conveyed warm encouragement to North Korean officers and soldiers still stationed in Russia.
Sending 10 Thousand Soldiers
According to intelligence assessments from South Korea and the West quoted from CNA, North Korea has sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Russia to assist Moscow. They have been stationed in the Kursk region, complete with artillery support, missiles, and long-range rocket systems.
Approximately 600 North Korean soldiers are reported to have been killed and thousands more injured in the fighting. Last April, North Korea also confirmed for the first time that its troops were fighting on the front lines alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
Pyongyang-Moscow Relations
North Korea's military involvement demonstrates its increasingly close relationship with Russia. In June 2024, Kim and President Vladimir Putin signed a strategic partnership agreement that includes a joint defense pact. Last week, Putin also referred to the Korean soldiers sent to Ukraine as heroic soldiers.
Kim previously showed full support by paying tribute to the fallen soldiers. He covered their caskets with the North Korean flag and placed both of his hands on them, a public gesture that he rarely does.
"Our army is now doing what it ought to do and what needs to be done. It will do so in the future, too," Kim said.
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