(2nd LD) N. Korea's Kim praises troops deployed to Russia-Ukraine war as 'great heroes'

▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 22, 2025, shows the North's leader awarding the title of "Hero of the Republic" to service members who were deployed to Russia's war with Ukraine. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 22, 2025, shows the North holding a commendation ceremony for the North's troops deployed to Russia's war with Ukraine at the headquarters of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 22, 2025, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un putting DPRK Hero medals beside the portraits of "martyrs," who sacrificed their youth and lives for the Russia-Ukraine war. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) NK troops-Russia

(2nd LD) N. Korea's Kim praises troops deployed to Russia-Ukraine war as 'great heroes'

(ATTN: REWRITES lead; UPDATES with more details throughout, photo)

By Kim Soo-yeon

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has held a commendation ceremony for the North's troops deployed to Russia's war with Ukraine as leader Kim Jong-un called them "great heroes and patriots" and consoled bereaved families of fallen soldiers, state media reported Friday.

The North held a ceremony to award state commendations to commanders and combatants of the overseas operation unit of the Korean People's Army (KPA) who returned home from the battlefield, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It marked the first time that North Korea has awarded commendation to its soldiers who fought overseas.

The North's leader lauded troops deployed to the front-line Kursk region as "great heroes and patriots" in his speech at the ceremony held at the headquarters of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

"The victory won by the brave soldiers who participated in the war is a great feat that firmly defended the great honour of the KPA, which should never be undermined, and provided a sure guarantee for the existence and development of our state," Kim said.

He said the bravery shown by North Korean troops affirmed that an army from any country cannot avoid the fate of becoming "dead souls" if it fights against the North's military.

At the ceremony, Kim awarded the title of "DPRK Hero" to commanders and service members for their "distinguished" feats on the battlefields, the KCNA said, referring to the acronym of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

He also put the DPRK Hero medals beside the portraits of "martyrs," who sacrificed their youth and lives for the war. Photos carried by state media showed Kim stroking the portraits hanging on the "memorial wall" at the party's headquarters.

A total of 101 portraits of the war dead were seen on the wall, but the KCNA did not mention whether they are all of those killed during combat.

South Korea's spy agency said in April that around 600 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been killed fighting for Russia and more than 4,000 North Korean troops have also been injured.

Kim also consoled bereaved families by hugging some of them and showing his tears, photos published by the KCNA showed, in an apparent bid to highlight the image of a leader caring for people.

While decorating the overseas military operation unit, Kim called for the KPA to become "elite and strong" armed forces and for "perfecting" preparations for war against "military provocation" moves by the enemies.

"This environment gives no room to lower our guard and requires our army's further perfect and overwhelming preparations (for war)," he said.

Seoul's unification ministry said Thursday that Kim's meeting with commanders of the KPA's overseas unit the previous day appears aimed at "justifying the deployment and boosting morale" of the military.

Chang Yoon-jeong, deputy spokesperson at the ministry told a press briefing Friday that North Korea appears to have disclosed the names and photos of its troops deployed to the Russia-Ukraine war for the first time.

She said the ministry will closely monitor the situation to judge whether North Korea has ended the deployment of troops to Russia.

The ceremony came amid expectations that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, may hold a summit for a peace deal to end the three years of fighting.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russia's war efforts since October last year. Russia's media reported the North will send 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Kursk to support reconstruction efforts.

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