Kim supports Putin...
North Korean soldiers, fighting on Russia's side against Ukraine, were decorated and distinguished by Kim Jong Un. To date, Pjongjang has sent any 10,000 military troops to the front, and according to South Korean intelligence, it is planned to launch further troops.
The awards ceremony took place during a peculiar ceremony, as reported by the state agency KCNA. The account emphasized that the North Korean forces were to show the strength of the army, and participation in the fighting in the Kursk Oblast was presented as evidence of their heroism and determination.
A week ago, on Friday, North Korea was visited by Wiaczesław Wołodin, president of the Russian State Duma. During his visit, he expressed his gratitude to Kim Jong Un for supporting Russia's war effort against Ukraine and gave him greetings from president Vladimir Putin. A fewer days earlier, Putin himself had a telephone conversation with Kim, informing him of a planned gathering with US president Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska.
...but does Putin request his help?
Journalists note that the return of the North Korean commanders to their homeland may show that Russia is convinced that it is able to independently keep the course's circuit.
According to Michael Madden, a North Korean expert at the Washington Stimson Center, specified a decision besides allows the Kremlin to avoid the hazard that the DPRK's participation will be subject to dispute in possible peace negotiations with Ukraine.
Kim Jong Un met with returning soldiers and thanked them for participating in the fighting in Ukraine. His speech did not deficiency the indication of 2 states which were always considered by the North Korean government to be the top enemies:
Intensification of military contacts between the US and the Republic of Korea, as well as demonstration of force, are the most apparent manifestation of their will to start a war. It is besides a manifestation of the demolition of peace and safety in the region.
