North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) inaugurated a new housing district for families of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war, state media reported Monday. In this photo, Kim and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae (back-L), meet bereaved family members in their new home on Saeppyol Street. Photo by KCNA/EPA
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un led the inauguration ceremony for a street in Pyongyang constructed for the families of soldiers killed while dispatched to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, state-run media reported Monday.
At a gathering Sunday on the newly completed Saeppyol Street, Kim delivered remarks praising the sacrifice of the deceased and framing the housing project as a lasting tribute to those who died abroad.
He said the street was built “thanks to the ardent desire of our motherland that wishes that the precious lives of its excellent sons … will live forever,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
“The Party and the government will take all necessary steps to ensure that these families lead a proud and worthwhile life,” Kim said, vowing continued state support for the bereaved.
North Korea has strengthened military ties with Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Pyongyang has sent thousands of shipping containers of munitions and deployed about 15,000 troops to assist Russian forces in the Kursk region, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. The spy agency said in September that roughly 2,000 of the dispatched soldiers had been killed.
After Kim cut a ribbon at the ceremony, fireworks were launched and housing licenses were presented to the bereaved families in the name of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. KCNA reported that Kim toured several apartments and met relatives of the fallen, urging officials to ensure continued preferential treatment and care for the families.
Photos released by state media showed Kim accompanied by his daughter, Ju Ae, whose growing public visibility has drawn attention among officials and analysts. The NIS last week told South Korean lawmakers that Ju Ae, believed to have been born in 2013, appears to be in the process of being designated as Kim’s successor.
The Saeppyol Street project was first announced by Kim in August and is the latest in a series of public commemorations tied to the overseas deployment. Some analysts view the moves as an effort to legitimize the troop dispatch and bolster domestic support by emphasizing sacrifice and loyalty.
The ceremony comes as North Korea prepares for the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party later this month, where Kim is expected to outline domestic and foreign policy priorities and showcase achievements as he seeks to reinforce control at home.
