North Korea opens new housing area for families of soldiers killed overseas

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has opened a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of soldiers killed while fighting overseas amid the East Asian country's support for Russia's war against Ukraine. Kim said Saeppyol Street was a source of honour for our generation and a pride of Pyongyang and our state, North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on Monday."

"He prayed for the immortality of the martyrs along with its inauguration which will etch the martyrs' names and images in history, it added. While the report did not mention Russia, Kim last week pledged to unconditionally support all of Russian President Vladimir Putin's policies and decisions. Under a mutual defence pact with Moscow, Pyongyang dispatched thousands of soldiers to Ukraine in 2024, according to South Korean, Ukrainian and Western officials."

"North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, centre, and his daughter Kim Ju Ae, standing behind, react on the day of the completion ceremony of a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of soldiers who died in overseas military operations [KCNA via Reuters] Kim said he had pushed to finish the project even one day earlier in the hope it might bring some small comfort to the soldiers' families, state-run Korean Central News Agency reported."

Kim Jong Un opened a new housing district in Pyongyang, Saeppyol Street, for families of soldiers killed while fighting overseas. Kim described Saeppyol Street as a source of honour for the generation and a pride of Pyongyang and the state. He prayed for the immortality of the martyrs and said the inauguration would etch martyrs' names and images in history. Kim pushed to finish the project early to bring some comfort to the families. Photographs showed Kim with his daughter Kim Ju Ae consoling relatives and visiting new homes. South Korea's intelligence service estimated about 6,000 North Korean soldiers were killed or wounded during deployment to Ukraine, and Pyongyang has pledged unconditional support for Vladimir Putin while dispatching troops under a mutual defence pact with Moscow.

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