Kim Jong Un Condoles Families of North Korean Soldiers Who Died in Ukraine

In conjunction with his preparations for a visit to China, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un participated in a special memorial ceremony to express condolences to the families of soldiers who were killed during military operations in Ukraine, according to state media reports.

Kim attended the ceremony held on Friday, August 29, to distribute medals to participants in what the official agency described as the "foreign operations service," marking the second such event in August.

During his speech at the ceremony, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency, Kim said: "To all the families of the martyrs, I once again express my sorrow for my failure to save the precious lives of our officers and soldiers who fell on the battlefield in a foreign land, and I am deeply saddened that I could not bring them back alive here."

The official photos released showed the North Korean leader awarding championship medals alongside images of 101 soldiers who were killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region.

This event comes just days before Kim Jong Un's anticipated visit to China, where he is scheduled to attend a large military parade next Wednesday alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Analysts believe that Pyongyang, by holding such ceremonies, highlights the role and sacrifices of North Korean forces in the ongoing conflict, paving the way for the upcoming summit between Kim and Putin on Chinese soil.

It is noteworthy that the second ceremony of its kind came about a week after the Korean Central News Agency reported on August 22 regarding the first similar memorial ceremony held in the capital, Pyongyang.