Pyongyang:<Text>
North Korea has held a commendation ceremony for its troops deployed in Russia's conflict with Ukraine, with leader Kim Jong-un praising them as "great heroes and patriots." He also offered condolences to the families of fallen soldiers, as reported by state media on Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ceremony was organized to award state commendations to commanders and combatants from the Korean People's Army (KPA) who participated in the overseas operation and have since returned home. This event marks the first instance of North Korea bestowing such honors on its soldiers for overseas engagements.
During the ceremony at the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's headquarters, Kim lauded troops stationed in the front-line Kursk region, emphasizing their role in defending the honor of the KPA and ensuring the state's continued existence and development. He asserted that any army opposing North Korea's military would inevitably become "de ad souls."
Kim awarded the prestigious title of "DPRK Hero" to commanders and service members for their battlefield achievements. The ceremony also featured DPRK Hero medals placed beside portraits of the "martyrs" who lost their lives in the war. State media images showed Kim touching the portraits on the "memorial wall" at the party's headquarters, where a total of 101 portraits were displayed. However, the KCNA did not specify if these represented all combat fatalities.
South Korea's intelligence service reported in April that approximately 600 North Korean soldiers were killed while fighting for Russia, with over 4,000 wounded. Kim, appearing emotional, also consoled bereaved families, as depicted in photos published by the KCNA.
In his speech, Kim called for the KPA to become an "elite and strong" force, emphasizing the need for "perfect" war preparations against potential military provocations. He stressed that the current environment necessitates he ightened vigilance and readiness.
Seoul's unification ministry indicated that Kim's meeting with KPA overseas unit commanders aimed to "justify the deployment and boost morale" within the military. Chang Yoon-jeong, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, noted that North Korea has, for the first time, disclosed the names and photos of troops deployed in the conflict.
This ceremony coincides with expectations of a potential summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a peace deal. North Korea has reportedly sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russia since October of the previous year. Russian media also reported that North Korea plans to dispatch 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Kursk for reconstruction efforts.