During his visit to the Russian embassy in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that the country's deployment of troops in Russia was justified, pointing out that North Korea's participation in the war was an exercise of its sovereign rights, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
Kim said he had sent troops to Russia to "liberate" the Kursk Front Line area, citing the mutual defense treaty signed with Russia last year.
"Our participation in the war is justified and this is within the framework of the exercise of our sovereign rights," Kim said, calling his country's soldiers participating in the fighting in Ukraine "heroes".
In addition, the North Korean leader said that if "Ukrainian puppet forces take harsh military actions against the territory of the nuclear power, then Pyongyang's military will be even more recklessly bold".
Moscow and Pyongyang have long denied the participation of North Korean servicemen in Russia's war against Ukraine. The DPRK and Russia are bound by a military treaty that provides for military assistance.
On May 9, 2025 During the parade dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin met with a group of high-ranking military personnel from the DPRK army and shook hands with each of them. "All the best and to all your soldiers all the best," the Russian president said.