Kim Jong Un builds war memorial for troops fighting Ukraine, pledges eternal friendship to Putin

"The years of militant fraternity, in which a guarantee has been provided for the long-term development of the bilateral friendship at the cost of precious blood, will advance non-stop," Kim said.

According to him, challenges posed by "domination and tyranny" cannot undermine the ties between the two countries.

Speaking before the military, Kim Jong Un also announced the start of construction in Pyongyang of a museum dedicated to the soldiers of the Korean People's Army who took part in the "liberation of Russia's Kursk region."

Relations between Russia and North Korea

Earlier, Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defense pact. Under this agreement, North Korea sent soldiers, artillery ammunition, and missiles to Russia in support of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Kyiv and Seoul estimate that North Korea has deployed more than 10,000 troops to the war in exchange for economic and military-technical assistance from Russia.

According to South Korea's intelligence agency, about 2,000 North Korean soldiers were killed in combat as of September.

North Korea is known to support Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been actively conducting regular secret arms shipments. Russians are believed to have received more than 12 million artillery shells from North Korea. The country also supplies artillery systems, multiple rocket launchers, and other military equipment.

According to Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate, Russian forces would have long lost the war if not for the support of North Korea and other Kremlin allies.