SEOUL, South Korea — On Monday, North Korea announced it has finished building a new housing area in Pyongyang for the families of North Korean soldiers who died fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. This was the latest way for leader Kim Jong Un to honor the deceased.
State-run media showed Kim Jong Un walking down Saeppyol Street, the new street, and visiting the homes of some of the families with his daughter, who is becoming more and more famous and is thought to be named Kim Ju Ae. He promised to repay the "young martyrs" who "sacrificed all to their motherland."
In the last several months, North Korea has stepped up its propaganda praising the soldiers who are fighting in Russia's conflict against Ukraine. For example, they built a museum and a memorial wall. Analysts think it's an attempt to strengthen internal unity and keep people from getting angry.
In the last several months, Kim has dispatched thousands of troops and a lot of military gear, like artillery and missiles, to help Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. The two presidents are working together since they are both having problems with Washington.
Last week, South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers that they think roughly 6,000 North Korean soldiers died or were hurt during their time in the battle, but they didn't say how many died. Last year, the agency said it thought about 600 people had perished.
According to MPs who attended a closed-door briefing last week, the spy service thinks that North Korean military are benefiting from the battle by getting modern combat experience and Russian technical support that might make their weapons systems work better.
As North Korea gets ready for a big ruling party convention later this month, where Kim is expected to lay out his main goals for domestic and foreign policy for the next five years and take moves to tighten his grip on power, the new roadway is being built.
