Kim Jong Un urges youth to prepare for war against Ukraine
Photo: Kim Jong Un (Getty Images)
North Korea's Kim Jong Un, speaking at a party congress, called young people a key force in carrying out the tasks of the Workers' Party of Korea and urged them to fight on Russia’s side in the war in Ukraine, according to the state-run KCNA news agency and Reuters.
The 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League took place in Pyongyang; this event is held in North Korea every five years for young men and women aged 14 to 30.
The event concluded this week with mass rallies, torchlight parades, and a gala concert.
During his speech, Kim Jong Un called for strengthening organization and ideological discipline among young people and emphasized that the youth league is a vital force for implementing the ruling party’s decisions.
According to Reuters, the Workers’ Party directly linked youth loyalty to Pyongyang’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, stating in a letter to congress participants that young soldiers sent on overseas operations "become bombs and flames" to defend the country’s honor.
According to South Korean, Ukrainian, and Western officials, North Korea has sent about 14,000 troops to support Russian forces in the Kursk region. They also claim that over 6,000 of them may have been killed.
Last month, Pyongyang unveiled a memorial honoring the fallen soldiers. Amid tightening ideological control, the North Korean government is also strictly limiting the influence of foreign culture, particularly South Korean music, films, and slang.
North Korean troops in Russia's war against Ukraine
The first reports of North Korean troops being sent to Russia emerged as early as October 2024.
According to South Korean intelligence, the transfer of about 1,500 North Korean soldiers was recorded at that time, who were subsequently deployed to combat operations in the Kursk region.
Mercenaries from North Korea are assisting Russian forces in the Sumy region by operating drones and directing strikes against Ukrainian positions. They are operating from within the Kursk region of Russia.
Recently, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un publicly praised his troops for their self-sacrifices in the war against Ukraine.
According to British intelligence, North Korea has lost 6,000 personnel during combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.
This represents over half of the approximately 11,000 troops that North Korea has deployed to the region.
