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Kim Jong-un Honors Fallen Soldiers in Ukraine War with Memorial Museum

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inaugurated the construction of a memorial museum dedicated to soldiers killed while supporting Russian forces in Ukraine. He was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and daughter, Ju-ae, at the tree-planting ceremony for the site in Pyongyang. This marks the first time North Korea will build a museum commemorating troops killed in action overseas, with thousands believed dead out of more than 10,000 dispatched. The event followed a recent hypersonic missile test, underscoring the regime's focus on military might and sacrifice.

Key Points: Kim Jong-un Builds Memorial for North Korean Soldiers Killed in Ukraine

  • First memorial for overseas war dead
  • Over 10,000 troops sent to Russia
  • Kim's family attended groundbreaking
  • Museum construction began in October
  • Hypersonic missile test conducted same week
2 min read

North Korea's Kim inspects construction of memorial for soldiers killed in Ukraine war

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un launches a museum to honor troops killed supporting Russia in Ukraine, marking the first overseas war memorial.

"eternal cornerstone supporting the mightiness of the motherly DPRK - Kim Jong-un via KCNA"

Seoul, Jan 6

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited the construction site of a memorial for the North's soldiers killed in Russia's war against Ukraine, hailing their sacrifice as an 'eternal cornerstone' for Pyongyang, state media reported on Tuesday.

Kim "visited the construction site of the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations" in Pyongyang the previous day and dug the first shovelful of earth for the museum's tree planting, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Images released by the North's state media showed Kim's wife, Ri Sol-ju, and daughter Ju-ae accompanied Kim at the event, with Ju-ae seen digging the ground along with her father in the tree planting.

Kim said the sacrifice of North Korean troops "would serve as the solid root and eternal cornerstone supporting the mightiness of the motherly DPRK," according to the KCNA.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of the country, Yonhap news agency reported.

While awarding official commendations in August last year to soldiers who were dispatched to support Russia in the war, Kim unveiled a plan to create a special street in Pyongyang commemorating their sacrifice, with construction of the museum launched in October.

It marks the first time North Korea will build a museum commemorating soldiers killed in action overseas.

North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops and conventional weapons to support Russia's war efforts, with thousands believed to have been killed in action.

Earlier on January 5, North Korea test-launched hypersonic missiles in Pyongyang that successfully struck targets in the East Sea, with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance.

"A sub-unit under a major firing strike group of the Korean People's Army conducted a missile launching drill" to evaluate the country's war deterrence and the readiness of the weapon system, as well as to verify its capacity to fulfill missions, the KCNA had said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The timing is everything. Missile test one day, memorial groundbreaking the next. Kim is sending a very clear message both domestically and to the world about his priorities and alliances. It's a worrying development for global stability.
R
Rohit P
From an Indian perspective, we understand honoring soldiers' sacrifice. But the context here is deeply troubling. These soldiers died in an offensive war of aggression, not in defense of their homeland. There's a moral difference that can't be ignored. 🇮🇳
S
Sarah B
The article mentions his daughter was there too. It's so sad to see children involved in these state ceremonies for war. Those 10,000+ families must be grieving while the leadership uses their loss for political theatre.
V
Vikram M
Honestly, this feels like a desperate move by two isolated regimes propping each other up. Russia gets cannon fodder, North Korea gets... what exactly? A few old weapons? It's a tragic waste of young lives for a pointless cause. The world should take note and condemn this.
K
Karthik V
Building a museum while your people struggle for basic necessities. The priorities are completely backwards. The resources for this memorial could have fed thousands. It's a classic case of a regime more interested in legacy and power than the welfare of its citizens.

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