Sat Dec 13 05:42:05 UTC 2025: Summary:

Kim Jong Un lauded and honored a North Korean Army Engineering Unit returning from a 120-day deployment in the Kursk region of Russia, where they performed combat and engineering tasks during the conflict in Ukraine. The KCNA reported on the welcoming ceremony, which included praising the troops’ heroism and announcing awards, including posthumous honors for nine soldiers killed during the mission. According to South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western sources, some 14,000 soldiers were sent last year and more than 6,000 died. Kim highlighted the unit’s loyalty and discipline, positioning their performance as a model for the North Korean armed forces.

News Article:

North Korean Troops Honored After Service in Russian Kursk Region

SEOUL – December 13, 2025 – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presided over a grand welcoming ceremony for the 528th Regiment of Engineers of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) upon their return from a 120-day deployment in Russia’s Kursk region. The North Korean state news agency KCNA reported that the unit was dispatched in early August and involved in combat and engineering tasks during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In a speech, Kim Jong Un praised the troops’ “heroic conduct and mass heroism” in fulfilling orders issued by the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. Video footage showed uniformed soldiers arriving, Kim Jong Un greeting a soldier in a wheelchair, and a large gathering of troops and officials.

According to last month’s Russian Defence Ministry, North Korean troops were key in repelling a Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region and are now involved in clearing the area of mines.

Kim acknowledged the loss of nine soldiers during the mission, describing their deaths as a “heartrending loss.” The regiment will be awarded the Order of Freedom and Independence, and the fallen soldiers will posthumously receive the title of Hero of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The welcoming ceremony, held on Friday in Pyongyang, was attended by senior military officials, party leaders, soldiers’ families, and large crowds. This event follows previous public displays of appreciation for North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces, including Kim draping coffins with the national flag.

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