The inauguration was held on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of what North Korea described as the end of an operation to “liberate” Russia’s Kursk border region, where North Korean troops were deployed to help repel a Ukrainian incursion, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim attended the ceremony alongside visiting Russian Defense Minister Andrei Beloussov and Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia’s State Duma, underscoring the growing importance of military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

KCNA reported that Kim placed flowers before the remains of dead soldiers and participated in a burial ritual by throwing dirt over one coffin, describing the fallen troops as symbols of “the Korean people’s heroism.”In a speech carried by KCNA, Kim said the soldiers’ spirits would support “a victorious march by the Korean and Russian people” and praised joint operations for frustrating what he called a U.S.-led Western “hegemonic plot and military adventurism” on the Russia-Ukraine front.

North Korea and Russia publicly acknowledged in April 2025 that their forces had fought together in Kursk, a rare admission of direct North Korean military involvement in a foreign conflict.Neither government has disclosed the exact number of North Korean troops deployed.

South Korea’s intelligence service estimated last year that around 15,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia and roughly 2,000 were killed.In a separate meeting with Beloussov, Kim said North Korea would continue to fully support Russia’s efforts to defend its sovereignty and security interests, KCNA said.

Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Beloussov told Kim Moscow was prepared to sign a bilateral military cooperation plan covering the 2027–2031 period, signaling that security ties could deepen further beyond battlefield coordination.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a letter read aloud by Volodin during the ceremony, said the museum would serve as “a clear symbol of the friendship and solidarity” between the two countries and expressed confidence that their comprehensive strategic partnership would continue to strengthen, KCNA reported.

Since the start of the Ukraine war, Kim has increasingly prioritized relations with Moscow, supplying troops as well as conventional weapons, according to South Korean, U.S. and allied officials.

In return, analysts and Western governments believe Pyongyang has received economic assistance and could seek advanced Russian military technology, including systems that may strengthen its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.Military analysts say North Korean troops initially suffered heavy losses because of limited combat experience and unfamiliarity with modern drone warfare and battlefield conditions in the Kursk region.

However, Ukrainian military and intelligence officials have said the North Korean contingent gradually adapted and became an important element of Russia’s strategy of sustaining manpower pressure by deploying large numbers of troops in prolonged fighting.

The opening of the museum adds a symbolic domestic dimension to Pyongyang’s wartime support for Moscow, presenting the casualties as national sacrifice while reinforcing the political legitimacy of its expanding alignment with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the anniversary to accuse Moscow of endangering global nuclear safety, saying repeated Russian drone operations near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant risked triggering another man-made catastrophe.

“Russia is once again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster,” Zelensky wrote on social media, referring to Iranian-designed Shahed drones used extensively by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

He said such drones had repeatedly flown over the plant and that one had struck the protective confinement structure last year, calling for stronger international pressure to halt what he described as “nuclear terrorism.”Russian missile and drone strikes on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed at least nine people, regional officials said, making it the deadliest single attack reported during the latest wave of cross-border strikes.

In Russian-occupied Crimea, Moscow-installed authorities said one man was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the port city of Sevastopol. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move widely rejected by the international community, and has since used the peninsula as a key military logistics hub.

In eastern Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk region, Leonid Pasechnik, the Russia-backed governor, said three people were killed in an overnight Ukrainian drone strike on a village, after earlier reporting two deaths on Saturday.Earlier, authorities in Russia’s Belgorod border region said a woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack.

Ukraine did not publicly comment on the strikes in Crimea or Luhansk, and the claims could not be independently verified.Ukraine’s military said it had also struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory, triggering fires at a facility that processes around 15 million tons of oil annually and produces gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, including supplies for the Russian military.Russia did not immediately comment on the refinery attack.

Kyiv has increasingly used domestically developed long-range drones capable of reaching targets up to 1,500 km (900 miles) inside Russia, targeting energy infrastructure and military logistics sites.Ukrainian officials argue such strikes are aimed at reducing Russian military capacity, particularly as Moscow seeks to increase oil exports after the Trump administration granted temporary sanctions waivers to ease global supply constraints.

The anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster also renewed focus on the safety of the damaged reactor site.Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said repairs to the plant’s outer protective shell must begin urgently after damage from a strike last year compromised a key safety function of the structure.

He warned that prolonged delays could increase risks to the original sarcophagus covering Reactor No. 4, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development estimated repairs would require at least 500 million euros ($586 million).

Ukraine’s Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said international partners had so far committed 100 million euros in additional funding, on top of a previously agreed 30 million euros.Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone struck the outer shell of the New Safe Confinement structure in February 2025.

The $2.1 billion steel arch, completed in 2019, was built to contain radioactive material over the destroyed reactor.Moscow denied responsibility and accused Kyiv of staging the incident.Separately, Russia’s Defense Minister Andrei Belousov visited North Korea on Sunday for talks with leader Kim Jong Un, where both sides discussed expanding military cooperation.

Belousov said the two countries had agreed to move military ties to a “sustainable, long-term basis,” according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.During the visit, he awarded Russia’s Order of Courage to North Korean troops who served in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion in August 2024.

Kim has supplied thousands of troops and significant weapons shipments to support Russia’s war effort.

The visit comes as Moscow and Pyongyang continue to strengthen military and diplomatic cooperation following their 2024 strategic defence pact.Earlier, North Korean state media KCNA reported that Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin had also arrived in Pyongyang to attend the opening ceremony of a newly built memorial honoring North Korean troops killed while fighting in the Ukraine war.

Belousov is expected to hold meetings with North Korea’s top leadership and participate in “ceremonial and commemorative events,” according to the Russian defence ministry.Separately, the Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marking the opening of the memorial.

Putin thanked Kim and North Korean soldiers for assisting Russia in repelling what Moscow described as a major Ukrainian incursion into the western Kursk region and said he was confident the two countries would continue strengthening their strategic partnership.

Russia and North Korea significantly expanded their relations after Kim and Putin met in June 2024 and signed a comprehensive strategic treaty that included a mutual defence clause.Since 2023, both countries have accelerated military exchanges and diplomatic coordination, drawing close international scrutiny over North Korea’s alleged military support for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

The memorial inauguration and Belousov’s visit underscore the growing public acknowledgment of North Korea’s role in the conflict and signal further institutional deepening of Moscow-Pyongyang security ties.

Prosecutors said in a statement that the new sentence was being pursued on charges of aiding the enemy, arguing that Yoon’s alleged actions were intended to “fabricate wartime conditions” and undermined national security.

The request comes after Yoon was sentenced to life imprisonment in February for leading what authorities described as an insurrection aimed at paralysing South Korea’s National Assembly.According to prosecutors, the drone operation heightened tensions with North Korea and led to the exposure of classified military information after the drones crashed, including details related to force capabilities.

The allegations were also reported by Yonhap news agency.Yoon has appealed his earlier conviction, maintaining that his decision to declare martial law was taken “solely for the sake of the nation.”The case adds to ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where the two Koreas remain technically at war.

Drone activity has been a recurring source of friction between the sides.Earlier this month, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret to Pyongyang following an investigation that found government officials had sent drones into North Korea in January.

In response, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described the statement as “wise behavior,” though prospects for improved relations diminished after North Korea resumed describing the South as its “most hostile” adversary.

Lee has pledged to repair inter-Korean relations by halting provocations associated with his predecessor and has indicated that a formal apology over the drone incidents may be considered.

The launches took place on Sunday from the destroyer Choe Hyon, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which said the tests were part of efforts to strengthen operational readiness and strategic deterrence.

KCNA reported that two strategic cruise missiles remained airborne for approximately 7,900 seconds, while anti-warship missiles flew for nearly 2,000 seconds. The projectiles followed designated flight paths over the West Sea of Korea, commonly known as the Yellow Sea, and struck their targets with what the agency described as high precision.

The missile tests were conducted from one of North Korea’s two 5,000-ton destroyers, both introduced last year as part of a broader push to enhance naval power. Images released by KCNA showed missiles launching from the vessel and Kim observing the drills alongside military officials.

State media also said Kim received briefings on weapons systems planned for two additional destroyers currently under construction. KCNA reported that he made an “important conclusion” following the review, without providing further detail.Kim expressed satisfaction with the tests, stating that they had strengthened the preparedness of the country’s strategic forces.

He reiterated that reinforcing nuclear deterrence remains the government’s top priority, according to the report.The latest launches add to a series of recent weapons tests by Pyongyang, underscoring continued advancements in both missile technology and maritime strike capabilities.

Wang, on a two-day visit to North Korea, said Beijing and Pyongyang should enhance communication “in the face of a turbulent and complex international situation,” according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.

The visit marks a renewed push to strengthen bilateral relations following a period of limited exchanges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and comes as North Korea has also expanded engagement with Russia.

North Korean state media said Kim emphasized the importance of intensifying exchanges at multiple levels, describing closer ties as essential for safeguarding shared interests.

The report confirmed the meeting and highlighted mutual commitments to expand cooperation.Wang also held talks with his North Korean counterpart, pledging to build on what he described as positive momentum in relations and to advance practical cooperation between the two countries.

The diplomatic engagement comes ahead of a planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China next month.

Trump has previously indicated interest in resuming dialogue with Kim, raising the prospect of renewed diplomatic activity on the Korean Peninsula.

Wang, on a two-day visit to the diplomatically isolated state his first since 2019 said the two countries should enhance communication on major international and regional issues while safeguarding their respective sovereignty and security interests, according to Chinese state media.

“China is willing to work with North Korea to maintain close communication and interaction, promote practical cooperation, and infuse new contemporary meaning into the traditional friendship,” Wang said, as reported by Xinhua.

The visit follows the resumption of transport links between the neighbors after pandemic-related disruptions, signaling a broader effort to restore economic and diplomatic engagement. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a crucial source of economic and political support.

Wang’s trip comes amid renewed efforts by Donald Trump’s administration to revive high-level talks with Pyongyang, with discussions potentially leading to a summit later this year, including during a possible Trump visit to Beijing in May.

The meeting underscores Beijing’s continued role in shaping regional dynamics on the Korean Peninsula at a time of heightened diplomatic activity involving major powers.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was analyzing the latest launch in coordination with U.S. authorities. A separate launch detected on Tuesday from the Pyongyang area is believed to have involved a ballistic missile, though officials said it may have failed shortly after takeoff.

Yonhap news agency, citing military officials, reported that Tuesday’s projectile flew eastward before showing signs of abnormality in the early stage of flight and disappearing. South Korean authorities are assessing whether the launch constituted a failed ballistic missile test.

Seoul typically confirms ballistic missile launches promptly as they violate United Nations Security Council resolutions, while taking a more cautious approach when projectiles may be cruise missiles or conventional weapons.

North Korea has consistently rejected UN restrictions on its weapons programs, arguing they infringe on its sovereign right to self-defense.

The launches come amid renewed tensions following statements from North Korean officials indicating no shift in their stance toward South Korea. Jang Kum Chol, a senior foreign ministry official, said Pyongyang continues to view Seoul as a hostile adversary despite recent diplomatic signals.

“The identity of the ROK, the enemy state most hostile to the DPRK, can never change with any words or conduct,” Jang was quoted as saying by state media KCNA, using the formal acronyms for South and North Korea.

His remarks followed earlier comments from Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which some in Seoul had interpreted as conciliatory after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over drone incursions earlier this year.

Jang said those remarks were intended as a warning rather than a gesture of goodwill, underscoring Pyongyang’s continued hardline posture.
The Korean Peninsula remains technically at war, as the 1950–1953 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told a closed-door parliamentary briefing that Pyongyang has not supplied weapons or material support to Iran since the conflict began on February 28.

The agency also noted that North Korea refrained from issuing condolences following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in air strikes, according to lawmaker Park Sun-won, who attended the session.

The NIS further said Pyongyang did not send a congratulatory message after Mojtaba Khamenei was named Iran’s new supreme leader, underscoring what it described as a cautious diplomatic posture amid the escalating crisis.

While China and Russia have issued multiple statements on the conflict, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry has released only two relatively muted responses, the intelligence agency said.

This restrained approach aligns with a broader pattern in which Pyongyang has avoided direct criticism of US President Donald Trump in recent months.The NIS assessed that North Korea’s calibrated messaging is aimed at maintaining diplomatic flexibility ahead of a potential summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump expected in May.

Lawmakers were told the strategy reflects Pyongyang’s effort to position itself for a possible shift in geopolitical dynamics once the Middle East conflict stabilizes.Economic considerations are also shaping North Korea’s posture, the NIS said.

The country is facing disruptions in securing industrial supplies, alongside rising prices and currency pressures linked to the broader regional instability. The agency added that Pyongyang is seeking to secure oil supplies from Russia to mitigate the impact.

At the Ninth Workers’ Party Congress in late February, leader Kim Jong Un indicated a willingness to engage with Washington, stating there was no reason the two countries could not improve relations if the United States acknowledged North Korea as a nuclear state and abandoned what Pyongyang considers hostile policies.

According to the NIS, Kim’s remarks were delivered in a personal tone intended to signal openness to dialogue while maintaining strategic leverage, suggesting a calculated effort to keep diplomatic channels viable amid shifting international conditions.

The ceremony, scheduled for mid-April, will coincide with the inauguration of a newly built memorial museum dedicated to troops killed during overseas deployment, particularly in Russia’s Kursk region, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

South Korean officials estimate that around 2,000 North Korean troops have been killed since Pyongyang deployed thousands of personnel, along with missiles and munitions, to support Moscow’s war effort. North Korea confirmed last year that its forces were engaged in combat operations abroad and had suffered casualties.

Leader Kim Jong Un has overseen preparations for the ceremony and inspected the nearly completed museum, which state media said is 97% finished. KCNA reported that Kim praised the project as a symbol of “heroism” and described it as a site for promoting patriotism and commemorating the fallen.

Analysts say North Korea’s support for Russia has been reciprocated through financial assistance, food supplies, energy resources and military technology transfers, helping Pyongyang mitigate the impact of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons program.

The burial ceremony will mark the first anniversary of what state media described as the “liberation operations” in Kursk, underscoring Pyongyang’s alignment with Moscow’s narrative of the conflict.

Kim has previously presided over similar commemorative events, with state media releasing images showing him paying respects to fallen soldiers, including ceremonies involving flag-draped coffins and interactions with returning troops.