North Korea's leader Kim again comforts families who have lost troops during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Kim Jong-un Honours Fallen Soldiers in Ceremony Ahead of China Trip
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently held a ceremony to decorate service members who were killed during the war with Ukraine, with the timing of the announcement suggesting a possible connection to his upcoming trip to China.
The ceremony, which took place in North Korea, saw Kim Jong-un present hero medals to the families of the fallen soldiers. Photos from the event showed Kim placing the country's hero medals beside the portraits of the fallen soldiers.
It was reported that more than 4,000 North Korean troops have been injured during the same conflict, according to South Korea's spy agency. South Korea's agency also reported that around 600 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been killed during combat.
Kim expressed his regret about not being able to save the lives of the fallen soldiers and stated that the children left behind by the heroes will be sent to "revolutionary schools." These special education institutions train the children of "revolutionists" who sacrificed for the state as candidates for key party officials.
In addition to the ceremony, Kim Jong-un announced plans to build a new street named "Saebyol Street" in Pyongyang's Taesong district, in memory of the fallen troops. A monument for "immortal combat feats" will be erected on the new street.
The details of the new street's construction and the monument's design were not specified in the report. The remains of the fallen soldiers will be laid to rest in the best place of the arboretum in front of the new street.
It is worth noting that since October last year, North Korea has provided conventional weapons and around 13,000 troops to support Russia's war efforts. Kim Jong-un attended a previous ceremony to award state commendations to soldiers who participated in the war.
However, there is no publicly available information that Kim Jong-un is educating the children of fallen North Korean soldiers from the Ukraine war in revolutionary schools to train them as "staunch and courageous fighters." While North Korea has acknowledged the deaths of over 100 of its soldiers in the Ukraine conflict and Kim Jong-un showed respect at a memorial for them, no reports describe such an educational program for their children. The sources focus primarily on North Korea's military involvement and Kim's public mourning, without mentioning training or schooling for these children.
The first ceremony was held in Pyongyang on August 22. Kim Jong-un's upcoming trip to China is scheduled for this week.
