‘Sacred sanctuary’: North Korea starts building memorial to soldiers killed in Ukraine war | North Korea
North Korea has begun building a monument to its soldiers killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, state media reported, after leader Kim Jong-un hailed a “historic summit” in relations with Moscow.
The so-called Combat Skills Memorial Museum will be built in the capital Pyongyang, where Kim and the Russian ambassador to North Korea attended the groundbreaking ceremony, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on Thursday.
Speaking at Thursday’s event, Kim said the museum is a “sacred sanctuary dedicated to the immortality of true patriots.”
North Korea, one of the world’s most isolated countries, has become an important ally of Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He sent thousands of soldiers and containers of weapons to help the Kremlin push Ukrainian forces away from Western Russia.
According to estimates from South Korea, at least 600 North Korean soldiers were killed and thousands more were injured.
In statements quoted by KCNA, Kim said his country’s troops have been in Russia’s Kursk region for a year and praised them for helping Russia achieve “decisive victory.” “Our heroes destroyed the cruel neo-Nazi invaders with their strong spirit, not to tolerate any aggression, but to destroy the aggressors,” Kim said.
He added that the relationship between North Korea and Russia “is now at a historic high.”
Kim said the memorial will include statues dedicated to North Korean soldiers fighting in Russia, as well as photographs and artwork depicting the war.
Moscow’s Ambassador to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora and other Russian embassy officials attended Thursday’s ceremony, KCNA reported. Families of soldiers killed in Russia were there, as well as many North Korean government and military officials.
Russia and North Korea agreed to a strategic partnership agreement last year that obliges both sides to provide “military and other assistance” if attacked.
An art exhibition depicting North Korean soldiers and their Russian comrades resisting the hostile West was held in Moscow to celebrate ties with Pyongyang.
