Kim Jong-un touts ‘invincible alliance’ with Russia in New Year’s address
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hailed a burgeoning “invincible alliance” with Russia in his New Year’s message, specifically commending his own troops who are reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces abroad. State media reported that Kim praised these soldiers for their “heroic” defense of national honor in what he described as an “alien land,” urging them to remain “brave.”
According to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies, Pyongyang has deployed thousands of its soldiers to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine. Estimates from South Korea suggest that at least 600 North Korean troops have died and thousands more have been injured in the conflict. Analysts believe that in return for this support, North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology, and crucial supplies of food and energy from Russia.
Kim’s message, as relayed by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), conveyed a sense of solidarity, stating, “As the whole country is enveloped in a festive atmosphere of greeting the new year, I all the more miss you, who are fighting bravely on the battlefields in the alien land even at this moment.” He explicitly linked the troops’ efforts to the partnership, declaring, “Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow,” and encouraged them to fight “for the fraternal Russian people.” The leader also hinted at further overseas operations in the coming year, anticipating “remarkable feats you will perform on the overseas battlefields.”
The deepening ties with Russia are seen by analysts as a vital economic lifeline for Kim’s regime, enabling him to sidestep diplomatic overtures from the United States and South Korea. Meanwhile, accounts from the ground offer a starkly different perspective on the situation for North Korean soldiers involved in the conflict. South Korea’s intelligence service and testimonies from two captured North Koreans indicate that the soldiers have been instructed to commit suicide rather than be taken prisoner. These two individuals, who were captured by Ukraine in January 2025 after sustaining battlefield injuries, have reportedly expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.
Kim marked the New Year with a significant celebration in Pyongyang’s May Day stadium, attending a lavish performance and delivering a speech. Images released by KCNA showed him accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and his daughter, Ju Ae, who is widely believed to be his successor.
– David Miller (Miller.D@theseouljournal.com)
