North Korea has reportedly constructed a military memorial to honour its soldiers who died while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine — a rare acknowledgment of Pyongyang’s involvement in a foreign conflict.
According to Reuters (Nov. 2025), satellite imagery and intelligence briefings shared by South Korean defense officials indicate that the memorial was recently erected near the city of Pyongyang, featuring monuments and national flags commemorating what state media has called “heroes of international duty.”
BBC News (Nov. 2025) reported that the site includes engraved plaques bearing the names of North Korean soldiers believed to have been killed in Donetsk and Luhansk, areas where reports suggest hundreds of DPRK troops were deployed earlier this year in support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The regime is using this memorial to reframe the losses as patriotic sacrifice,” a South Korean intelligence official told the BBC. “It’s both domestic propaganda and a signal of continued alignment with Moscow.”
NK News (Nov. 2025) first reported that the memorial’s unveiling was attended by senior members of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) and Russian diplomats, including representatives from the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang.
North Korean state media has not confirmed combat deaths but referred to the soldiers as “volunteers who stood shoulder to shoulder with Russian comrades in the fight against imperialism.”
The Guardian (Nov. 2025) noted that this development underscores deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, which have exchanged weapons, ammunition, and now personnel amid global condemnation.
“This memorial cements a dangerous precedent — open glorification of foreign military involvement,” said Dr. Min Ji-hoon, a North Korea specialist at Yonsei University.
Al Jazeera (Nov. 2025) added that the move could further strain Pyongyang’s relations with the United Nations, as participation in the Ukraine conflict violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions restricting military assistance and deployment abroad.
The U.S. State Department condemned the memorial as “a shameless glorification of illegal military action,” while the European Union called for additional sanctions against both Russia and North Korea for their “continued violation of international norms.”
Sources
Reuters – Satellite images show North Korea building war memorial for soldiers killed in Ukraine (Nov 2025)
BBC News – North Korea honours troops killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine (Nov 2025)
NK News – Pyongyang unveils memorial for soldiers killed in Donbas fighting (Nov 2025)
The Guardian – North Korea and Russia deepen military ties amid Ukraine war (Nov 2025)
Al Jazeera – Pyongyang’s new memorial sparks outrage over support for Russia (Nov 2025)
