The North Korean dictator said that it should be an honour for them to fight alongside the "fraternal Russian people". ‌Now, in his New Year's address to the nation, Kim Jong-un has called for his troops to continue the fight with Putin's army. While not directly naming the Ukraine war, he praised the Korean soldiers who are serving in "overseas operation units". Estimated figures put the number of Korean soldiers killed in battle at around 600, with thousands more injured. Two months later, Kim Jong-un pledged his "unconditional support" to Russia on the subject of Ukraine.

Source: The Star January 03, 2026 19:06 UTC