DPRK shows a photo of Kim Jong-un "mourning" the military killed in the war against Ukraine
On Monday, June 30, North Korean state media showed photos of the country's dictator Kim Jong Un "mourning" his soldiers, who are believed to have died in Russia's war against Ukraine. This was reported by the South Korean agency Yonhap .
In pictures released by Korean Central Television, Kim solemnly places a North Korean flag on a coffin during a ceremony to return the remains of North Korean soldiers killed in Moscow's war against Kyiv.
The photos were shown in the background during a cultural event jointly organized by North Korea and Russia in Pyongyang on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of their "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty.
In one of the photos, the DPRK dictator put both hands on the coffin, tightly pressing his lips together.
These images were shown after a photo of North Korean soldiers next to Russian troops, as well as a picture of a bloody notebook believed to belong to a DPRK soldier found on a battlefield in Russia's Kursk region.
Journalists noted that participants in the repatriation ceremony, including Kim, were seen wearing winter clothes, suggesting that the event likely took place several months ago and that the remains could have begun to return in the winter.
"North Korea probably wanted to present the dead soldiers not just as victims, but as part of a 'victory narrative,'" commented Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of National Unification.
"The video was probably released after both countries recognized the deployment and declared the Kursk operation a success," he added.
- On April 28, the DPRK for the first time officially confirmed the participation of its armed forces in the Russian-Ukrainian war. North Korea's military participated in battles in Kursk region.
- On April 30, Reuters reported that dead DPRK military who fought on the side of Russia were cremated in Kursk before returning home.
- Seoul warned that North Korea could send additional troops to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine in July or August.