Promises of a 'beautiful life' for families of soldiers deceased in Ukraine, pledged by Kim Jong Un
In a significant development, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to join a military parade in China next week, marking Japan's surrender in World War Two. This event follows the recognition of North Korean troops who suffered heavy casualties in Russia's Kursk region.
The 25-minute documentary about "Operation Kursk Liberation" was aired on North Korean state television, showcasing footage of North Korean soldiers participating in the operation aimed at driving Ukrainian forces from the Russian region. However, Reuters could not independently verify the footage presented in the documentary.
Kim and Putin's meeting in China is not the first time they have met, as they have already met twice in the past two years. This military alliance is highlighted by their third meeting.
During the meeting, Kim expressed his grief for failing to save the lives of the fallen soldiers and praised the bereaved families for their patriotism and tenacity. He also promised a "beautiful life" for the families in the country defended by the martyrs.
Kim Jong Un hosted the families of fallen North Korean soldiers who died fighting for Russia in Ukraine. He bowed deeply to family members during the meeting.
However, the exact scale of North Korea's deployment and casualties in Russia's Kursk region remains unclear. Some Western intelligence sources suggest that the toll of North Korean casualties could exceed 6,000, while South Korea's intelligence agency estimates that around 600 of the 15,000 deployed North Korean troops have died.
The soldiers who suffered particularly heavy losses during the Operation Kursk Liberation were Russian soldiers involved in attacks around the Kursk region, where several Russian soldiers were killed or captured during Ukrainian counterattacks.
This meeting follows the acknowledgement of the deployment of North Korean troops after months of silence in April. Kim and Putin acknowledged the deployment, with Kim authorizing the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk region in August, two months after signing a mutual defense treaty.
It is known that the event in China will mark a military parade, not a meeting between Kim and Putin. The location of the meeting between Kim and Putin in China is not specified in the article.
