Russia's Duma speaker visits N. Korea for opening of museum honoring soldiers killed in Ukraine war

▲ This Tass image shows Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

N Korea-Russia Duma speaker

Russia's Duma speaker visits N. Korea for opening of museum honoring soldiers killed in Ukraine war

SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, visited North Korea to attend the opening ceremony of a memorial museum honoring soldiers killed while fighting for Russia in its war with Ukraine, a Russian report said Saturday.

Volodin, chairman of the State Duma, "has arrived in the DPRK on a working visit" to "take part in the opening ceremony of a memorial complex and museum ... honoring the courage of Korean servicemen who took part in the liberation of the Kursk region," Tass said, citing the Duma press service.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

Volodin will attend the opening ceremony Sunday "on the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin" and will also meet with colleagues from the North Korean parliament, Tass said.

Jo Yong-won, chairman of the North's Supreme People's Assembly, received Volodin upon his arrival in North Korea, it added.

North Korea is set to open the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations in Pyongyang, honoring the North's fallen soldiers who were killed while fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

North Korea deployed around 15,000 combat troops to support Russia in the war after leader Kim Jong-un and Putin signed a strategic partnership treaty in June 2024.

On April 26 last year, Russia declared it had recaptured the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, with North Korean troops reportedly playing a role in the operation.

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