North Korean leader Kim Jong-un places “Hero of the Republic” medals on the portraits of fallen soldiers during a ceremony in Pyongyang to award state commendations to commanders and combatants deployed to Russia’s war with Ukraine and to comfort the bereaved families of fallen soldiers, in this undated photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Friday. (Yonhap) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed sorrow and remorse for soldiers killed while fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine, as Pyongyang for the first time publicly disclosed the names and portraits of 101 fallen troops during a decoration ceremony.
With Kim in attendance, a state decoration ceremony for commanders and soldiers of the Korean People’s Army overseas operations unit was held at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea’s state media reported Friday without further details, including the date of the ceremony.
During the event, Kim pinned medals to the portraits of deceased soldiers displayed on a memorial wall, tenderly touching them in the presence of their bereaved families, photographs released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency showed.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (center) embraces a girl, who is believed to be a bereaved family member of a fallen soldier, during a ceremony in Pyongyang to award state commendations to commanders and combatants deployed to Russia’s war with Ukraine and to comfort the bereaved families of fallen soldiers, in this undated photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Friday. (Yonhap) KCNA published many photos that showcased Kim Jong-un as a leader who cares for his people.
Kim was also seen bowing in thanks to grieving families and embracing children who were believed to be the sons and daughters of the fallen, with tears in his eyes as he offered them comfort.
Kim was also seen personally giving awards to soldiers, softly touching their faces and hugging them.
Notably, state media disclosed that a total of 101 portraits bearing the names of deceased soldiers were hung on the wall, though North Korean reports did not specify whether they represented all of the fallen.
The disclosed war casualty figures showed a discrepancy with those previously revealed by South Korea’s spy agency. The Unification Ministry declined to provide an immediate rationale behind North Korea’s disclosure of the identities of the fallen soldiers, however.
On April 30, the National Intelligence Service reported to the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee that North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia had resulted in around 4,700 casualties, including about 600 deaths. The NIS also said that North Korea had dispatched a total of 15,000 troops to Russia in two separate deployments.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) appears overcome with emotion as he embraces a soldier during a ceremony in Pyongyang to award state commendations to commanders and combatants deployed to Russia’s war with Ukraine and to comfort the bereaved families of fallen soldiers, in this undated photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Friday. (Yonhap) In his speech, Kim said, “The reality that we can now meet the noble figures only through the photographs on the memorial wall — those who dedicated their precious lives for great victory and glory — makes my heart ache and fills me with bitter pain.”
“Standing before the bereaved families of the sacrificed soldiers, I do not know how to express the sorrow and regret of not having been able to protect their precious sons, entrusted to us while their lives were still so green and young,” Kim added.
Kim also pledged to establish a museum and a monument in the capital city of Pyongyang to honor the participating soldiers.
In his speech, Kim hailed the “victorious conclusion of overseas military operations,” while also referencing the ongoing troop deployment, recalling “the fighters who, even at this moment, are faithfully carrying out their missions with full devotion to the orders of the fatherland.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a ceremony in Pyongyang to award state commendations to commanders and combatants deployed to Russia’s war with Ukraine and to comfort the bereaved families of fallen soldiers, in this undated photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Friday. (Yonhap) Kim underscored that the North Korean army’s participation in Russia’s war serves as clear confirmation of the reality that the army has been “fully prepared for war,” labeling the participation as the “most rigorous verification in its roughly 70-year history.”
“The key is to break the enemy’s will to wage war in thoroughly preparing for war and guaranteeing victory,” Kim said.
Kim called for the North Korean military to achieve “more impeccable and overwhelming readiness” against what he also labeled a “very grave and unpredictable security crisis created by the excessive use of military power.”
Kim also “clarified the major tasks that must be firmly grasped in dealing with the prevailing situation and the military provocation maneuvers of hostile states: the elite-ization of the DPRK’s armed forces, their strengthening into the most powerful army, and the completion of war readiness,” North Korean state media additionally reported.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C, front) watches a performance staged for commanders and combatants deployed to Russia’s war with Ukraine after attending a ceremony to award state commendations to them and comfort the bereaved families of fallen soldiers, in this undated photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Friday. (Yonhap) State media on Friday also reported that Kim attended a performance at the April 25 House of Culture in honor of the commanders and combatants who had participated in the deployment for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Kim was seen watching the concert with teary eyes in photos released by state media.
On Thursday, state media reported that Kim had met with the leading commanding officers of the overseas operations unit who returned home to participate in the award ceremony held at the headquarters of the Party Central Committee on Wednesday.
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com