North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised soldiers who killed themselves on the battlefield to avoid capture while fighting Ukrainian forces, confirming what analysts describe as an extreme military policy.
Speaking at a memorial ceremony for troops deployed to support Russia’s war effort, Kim described those who carried out “self-blasting” attacks as heroes who defended the nation’s honour.
North Korea is believed to have sent around 14,000 troops to assist Russian forces in the Kursk region, where intense fighting has led to heavy casualties. South Korean and Western estimates suggest that more than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed.
Reports from Ukraine and intelligence agencies had previously indicated that North Korean troops were instructed to avoid capture at all costs, including through suicide. Kim’s remarks mark one of the clearest public acknowledgments of the policy to date.
The deployment highlights deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, raising concerns among Western officials about the growing cooperation between the two countries.
