North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (center) inspects the construction site of the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at Overseas Military Operations and says its inauguration will be held to mark the first anniversary of the “liberation of Kursk,” according to Korean Central Television on Friday. (KCTV/Yonhap) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the construction site of a war memorial museum honoring troops deployed to support Russia in the war against Ukraine, state media reported Friday, in an apparent move to reinforce domestic support for Pyongyang’s involvement.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim gave “field guidance” at the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at Overseas Military Operations, where construction is nearing completion.
“The museum will be a monument to the era praising the great heroism of the proud sons of the DPRK and a seat for education in patriotism,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying. DPRK refers to North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
He said the museum was scheduled to open in mid-April, alongside a ceremony to bury the remains of fallen soldiers, marking what the North described as the first anniversary of the “liberation of Kursk” — a reference to joint military operations with Russia.
Kim also approved a plan to place the museum under a department of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, underscoring its role in ideological education and military propaganda.
The development comes as North Korea moves to publicly commemorate troops sent to support Russia’s war effort, a deployment neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has officially confirmed.
Last month, state media including Rodong Sinmun reported that families of soldiers killed during the deployment have begun moving into a new residential district in Pyongyang, as part of efforts to consolidate support for the overseas mission.
Residents were relocated to “Saebyeol Street,” a housing complex in the Hwasong district of the capital. The name “Saebyeol,” meaning “new star,” is widely interpreted as symbolizing honor bestowed on the families of the fallen.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimates that around 10,000 to 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to assist Russia’s war against Ukraine, with roughly 6,000 killed or wounded.
North Korea and Russia have expanded cooperation following a series of high-level exchanges and a mutual defense pact, with both sides pledging closer coordination in security and strategic sectors.
Observers say the construction of the museum, coupled with housing benefits for bereaved families, reflects a broader effort by the regime to institutionalize the narrative of sacrifice and legitimize its expanding military role beyond the Korean Peninsula.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com