Kim Jong Un praises soldiers’ ‘absolute loyalty’ in rare admission of casualties from dangerous mission
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un publicly acknowledged Saturday that his country deployed troops to clear mines in Russia’s Kursk region, with nine soldiers killed during a 120-day operation that began in early August, according to state media reports.
In a rare admission of casualties from Pyongyang’s military cooperation with Moscow, Kim praised the demining unit’s “heroic” conduct and “absolute loyalty” to the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea during a welcoming ceremony for returning troops Friday.
“All of you, both officers and soldiers, displayed mass heroism overcoming unimaginable mental and physical burdens almost every day,” Kim said in remarks carried by state media.
Dangerous Mission in War Zone
The North Korean combat engineers cleared more than 1.5 million explosive objects across an area approximately the size of 80 American football fields, according to Russian officials. Video footage released by Pyongyang showed soldiers deplaning upon their return, with several in wheelchairs from injuries sustained during the mission.
Images broadcast by state media showed Kim embracing wounded soldiers, including one in a wheelchair, during the Friday ceremony at what appeared to be a military airfield.
Alexander Khinshtein, governor of the Kursk region, praised the North Korean assistance on Telegram, calling it “invaluable help in our work, without which border area cannot be rebuilt.” He referred to the North Korean troops as “our combat friends” and Kim as “comrade.”
Russian officials had announced in June that North Korea would send 1,000 sappers and 5,000 military construction workers to support reconstruction efforts in Kursk. The demining operations began in November, according to Russian defense ministry statements.
Deepening Military Alliance
The mine-clearing mission represents the latest expansion of military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. North Korea has deployed an estimated 14,000 combat troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Kursk, where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise cross-border incursion in August 2024.
Those combat deployments resulted in heavy casualties. Western and South Korean intelligence estimate more than 6,000 North Korean troops were killed or wounded fighting Ukrainian forces before Russia regained control of the region in April, according to President Vladimir Putin.
The demining casualties announced Saturday appear separate from earlier combat losses. South Korean intelligence reported in April that approximately 4,700 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded in offensive operations, including 600 deaths.
In exchange for military support, Russia is providing North Korea with financial aid, advanced military technology, food supplies and energy, according to defense analysts. The assistance has enabled Pyongyang to showcase new weapons systems including attack drones, upgraded tanks and advanced air defense systems in recent months.
Strategic Implications
The public acknowledgment of casualties marks a departure from North Korea’s typical secrecy about military operations abroad. Kim’s decision to hold a high-profile ceremony suggests the regime views the Russia partnership as crucial enough to justify transparency about losses.
Kursk regional officials are planning to build a memorial honoring North Korean troops who fought there and are seeking to award them Russian military medals, according to recent statements by Governor Khinshtein.
The two nations signed a mutual defense pact in June 2024 that analysts characterized as their strongest military alliance since the Cold War. North Korean leader Kim has said the partnership will “advance non-stop.”
The demining operations underscore the extent to which North Korea has become integrated into Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, providing not only weapons and ammunition but also specialized military personnel for hazardous reconstruction work in contested border regions.
