"Kim Jong Un Bows in Apology: Meets and Consoles Families of North Korean Troops Deployed to Russia Once Again"

Memorial Event Held Again for Families of Fallen Soldiers
Kim Jong Un Promises to Raise the Children Left Behind by Heroes

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un has once again held a veterans' event to console the families of soldiers who were deployed to the war in Ukraine and lost their lives.

According to the Korean Central News Agency on the 30th, "The second national commendation ceremony for Korean People's Army overseas operations unit veterans was held on the 29th." This is the second memorial event in a week, following reports by North Korean state media on the 22nd that a "Wall of Remembrance" was erected at the Central Committee building of the Workers' Party, where medals were awarded to the portraits of 101 fallen soldiers.

At the event, which was held at Mokran Hall in Pyongyang, the highest-level state banquet venue, Chairman Kim personally handed over the portraits of the fallen soldiers, which were wrapped in the national flag, and took commemorative photos with the bereaved families. Soldiers who achieved distinguished service in overseas military operations were awarded the title of "Hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," the Gold Star Medal, and the First Class National Flag Order.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un met with the families of war veterans who achieved outstanding merits in overseas military operations at Mokran Hall in Pyongyang on the 29th, offering consolation and taking commemorative photos, according to Korean Central News Agency on the 30th. Korean Central News Agency, Yonhap News

Chairman Kim stated, "When I meet the bereaved families at the national commendation ceremony, I think a lot about those who could not be present." He continued, "That is why I wanted to meet all the families of the heroes separately like this, to offer at least some comfort and help ease their sorrow and sense of loss, and that is why I arranged this event today." He added, "With a sense of regret for not being able to protect their precious lives, I once again apologize to all the bereaved families. The children left behind by the heroes will be sent to revolutionary academies, and I, the state, and our military will take full responsibility for raising them well." Revolutionary academies are special educational institutions designed to nurture the children of so-called revolutionaries who died serving the state and society as future party officials.

Memorial Street to Honor the Fallen Soldiers to Be Established

Plans were also announced to establish a memorial street in Pyongyang to honor the fallen soldiers. Chairman Kim said that a new street would be built in the Daesong District of Pyongyang for the families of the veterans, and proposed naming it "Saebyeol Street" to praise the shining achievements of the soldiers "like stars." He also added that the remains of the fallen would be enshrined at a prime location in the arboretum in front of Saebyeol Street, and a "Monument to Immortal Combat Achievements" would be erected.

On the 29th, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun is taking a commemorative photo with the families of soldiers deployed to Russia. Photo by Korean Central News Agency, Yonhap News

The Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published photos of bereaved families sobbing as they held the portraits of the fallen, and children weeping as they stroked their fathers' photos. Another photo showed Chairman Kim, with tears in his eyes, bowing deeply to the families in a gesture of respect.

Park Jongchun, Vice Chairman and Secretary of the Party Central Military Commission; No Kwangchol, Minister of Defense; Ri Yonggil, Chief of the General Staff of the People's Army; as well as Jo Yongwon, Party Secretary; Kim Yojong, Deputy Director of the Party; and the head of the revolutionary academy, participated in the commemorative photo with the families.

The National Intelligence Service reported to the National Assembly in April that North Korean military casualties totaled 4,700, including 600 killed in action.