---
title: "North Korea's Kim Jong Un decorates soldiers who fought for Russia, KCNA says"
description: "SEOUL, Aug 22 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lauded \"heroic\" North Korean troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in a ceremony decorating soldiers of the army's overseas operation, state media KCNA said on Friday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-08-22-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-decorates-soldiers-who-fought-for-russia-kcna-says/"
published: "2025-08-22T05:16:50"
updated: "2025-08-22T05:16:52"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 154
---

# North Korea's Kim Jong Un decorates soldiers who fought for Russia, KCNA says

> SEOUL, Aug 22 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lauded "heroic" North Korean troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in a ceremony decorating soldiers of the army's overseas operation, state media KCNA said on Friday.

By Reuters · Published 22 August 2025, 07:16 SAST · Updated 22 August 2025, 07:16 SAST

## Key points
- In a heartfelt homage to his fallen soldiers, Kim Jong-un celebrated the "heroic" North Korean army's overseas exploits—complete with flowers, concerts, and a banquet—while conveniently glossing over the fact that around 600 of his troops met their end in Ukraine, proving that even in war, a lavish feast can mask a tragic reality.
- Kim Jong-un praised the North Korean army's overseas operations, highlighting their "heroic" combat activities and the "liberation of Kursk."
- He commemorated fallen soldiers with a flower-laying ceremony and hosted a concert and banquet for returning troops and bereaved families.
- These events mark the latest in a series of public tributes to North Korean soldiers who fought in Russia, particularly those who served in Ukraine.
- South Korean intelligence reports indicate that approximately 600 North Korean troops have died in the conflict, part of a larger deployment of 15,000.

## Content

Kim said in a speech, "The combat activities of overseas operational forces... proved without regret the power of the heroic (North Korean) army," and said the "liberation of Kursk" proved the "fighting spirit of the heroes," KCNA said.

Kim laid a flower at a memorial wall for soldiers fallen overseas, and a concert was held for soldiers returned from Russia as well as a banquet that included bereaved family members, KCNA said.

The moves were the latest public honouring of North Korean troops who fought in Russia. KCNA said on Thursday that Kim met with officers of the army's overseas operation and paid tribute to North Korean soldiers killed in Ukraine.

About 600 North Korean troops have been killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine out of a total deployment of 15,000, South Korean lawmakers said in April, citing the country's intelligence agency.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)