Memorial for fallen troops in Russia war erected in Pyongyang
Kim Jong-un with North Korean soldiers who reportedly participated in the war in Ukraine [Image: KCNA]
One year after dispatching troops to support Russia in the war with Ukraine, North Korea is constructing a memorial in Pyongyang to honor the dead.
According to a Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report, Kim Jong-un attended a groundbreaking ceremony on October 23 for a “Combat Meritorious Memorial Hall, dedicated to the eternal life of our proud war heroes.”
The memorial is being built in the city’s Hwasong district. Kim allegedly designated the site himself and took special measures to organize an elite construction unit for the project.
The memorial is a “great symbol of the ever-strengthening DPRK-Russia relationship,” Kim declared in an address during the ceremony. “Pyongyang will always stand with Moscow.”
“Exactly one year ago today, the final formation of our expeditionary combat troops departed for Russia,” he said. “They left without expectation of reward or recognition.”
Kim emphasized that the relationship between North Korea and Russia had evolved into “the highest form of trust, forged in shared blood within the same trench—a truly sincere and unbreakable bond of life and death.”
“This battlefield served as the most rigorous test of the strength of DPRK-Russia ties,” he said.
Veterans who participated in the Kursk operation and their families attended the ceremony. State media showed Kim embracing returning soldiers and gently touching their faces, as well as emotional reunions between troops and their families.
Kim also paid tribute to the bereaved families, saying, “This memorial will bear the immortal meaning of our nation’s enduring strength—a testament etched into history.”
The memorial is expected to become an iconic site in Pyongyang alongside the country’s existing war victory monuments, serving as a representation of military heroism in the Kim Jong-un era and of DPRK-Russia cooperation.
Analysts interpret the construction of the memorial as part of North Korea’s effort to highlight its military history and heroism, reinforcing national identity and the legitimacy of its regime.
Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.”
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