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By Brendan Cole and Yevgeny Kuklychev
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said for the first time that the country has deployed troops to Kursk, calling them "heroes" and describing their role in the operation to push Ukrainian forces out of the Russian region a "sacred mission."
In the first official confirmation of North Koreans' involvement in the Ukraine war, Kim was also reported to have said that a monument would be erected in honor of the troops in Pyongyang.
"They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland," North Korean state news agency KCNA reported Monday on the same day that Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly thanked Kim for his help.
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Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment.
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Why It Matters
Ukrainian, South Korean and Western intelligence said in October that North Korea had sent up to 12,000 soldiers to Russia to help with Moscow's war effort.
Neither North Korea nor Russia had previously confirmed this participation, which was focused on Moscow's fight to retake the Kursk region where Ukrainian troops staged an incursion in August.
Kyiv has released video of what it says are captured North Korean troops and Western officials have said at least 1,000 of the 11,000 troops sent from North Korea have been killed, although this figure has not been independently confirmed.
Kim and Putin's comments suggest a more open military partnership, which has so far included Pyongyang providing Moscow with ammunition and weapons.
What To Know
KCNA said that Pyongyang's military had sent soldiers to help Russian forces to "completely liberate" the Kursk border region.
Kyiv has denied Russian statements that Moscow had recaptured all of the Kursk region, where Ukraine staged an incursion last August, and said that its troops were fighting there.
But Kim was full of praise for the cooperation between the forces from North Korea and Russia, which he said "won a great victory" and suggested that there would be closer ties between the countries in future.
In what appeared to be a reference to North Korean soldiers who had died, Kim said that a monument to them would be erected in Pyongyang and flowers placed before the tombstones of fallen soldiers.
On Monday, Putin paid tribute to North Korean soldiers fighting with Russian forces, calling them "brothers in arms," with state news outlet Tass noting how he and Kim had signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2024.
The statements from Putin and Kim come days after Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov praised the "heroism" of North Korean troops, the first time Moscow has publicly acknowledged their involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
What People Are Saying
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Pyongyang "regards it as an honor to have an alliance with such a powerful state…and is pleased that the participation of the sub-units of our armed forces in the war has further strengthened the militant ties between the two countries."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "The Russian people will never forget the feat of the North Korean special forces fighters. We will always honor the (North Korean) heroes who gave their lives for Russia, for our common freedom, on a par with Russian brothers in arms."
What Happens Next
Moscow has not indicated what role, if any, North Korean forces would play in supporting Russian military operations against Ukraine going forward. The statements from Kim and Putin point to a more overt co-operation which may prompt an international reaction at the brazen participation in the war of another combatant.
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