SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae on Monday inspected the construction of a memorial for North Korean troops who died fighting overseas, state media KCNA reported on Tuesday (Jan 6).
Under a mutual defence pact with Russia, in 2024 North Korea sent some 14,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, where more than 6,000 of them were killed, according to South Korean, Ukrainian and Western sources.
Kim described the dead soldiers as "heroes... who sacrificed themselves without hesitation", saying "no one in the world can overcome such an army that is absolutely loyal to the orders of the party".
He took part in tree-planting for the memorial with Ju-ae, who wore a red muffler while shovelling earth with her father, KCNA photos showed.
Meanwhile, a photo exhibition detailing North Korea's progress under Kim opened in Pyongyang as the country gears up for a key party congress to be held soon, KCNA said.
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