North Korea’s official news agency (KCNA) reported that leader Kim Jong Un officially confirmed for the first time that Pyongyang had dispatched troops to the Kursk region of Russia for mine clearance operations.
Kim said in his speech on Saturday, broadcast on state media, that the troops were sent to Russia earlier this year.
According to KCNA, nine members of the battalion died during the 120-day mission that began in August.
Kim Jong-un awarded the deceased with a state medal of honor in recognition of their bravery.
This official confirmation comes after South Korean and Western intelligence agencies previously claimed that North Korea had sent thousands of troops to support Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Analysts believe that in exchange for this aid, Moscow is offering Pyongyang military technology, food, energy, and financial support to circumvent international sanctions against North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
