INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
North Korean state media on Tuesday released images of leader Kim Jong Un grieving over flag-draped coffins of North Korean soldiers killed
while fighting together with Russian forces in Ukraine, as South Koreas Defense Ministry said it has yet to see signs of additional troop
implementations from the North.The nuclear-armed North has become among Russias essential allies given that the full-blown intrusion of
Ukraine, sending countless soldiers and deliveries of weapons to bolster the Kremlins efforts to drive Ukrainian forces from the Kursk
border region.Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been eliminated and thousands more injured while defending Russia, according to South
Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, who mentioned intelligence from Seouls spy agency.Footage aired by Korean Central Television showed a
solemn Kim positioning a North Korean flag on a coffin throughout an event in Pyongyang on Sunday
The occasion attended by Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova marked the 1 year anniversary of a military pact between Pyongyang and
Moscow that consists of a mutual defense clause.State television also showed battlefield images of North Korean soldiers, with captions
reading: Oh, our heroes, shining stars of my homeland, and Those who provided their lives without hesitation to defend honor shine like
radiant stars.Attendees from both nations were seen in tears throughout the tribute.A photo of a file, supposedly signed by Kim, appeared to
reveal him approving operational prepare for the liberation of Kursk and releasing attack orders to North Korean special operations systems
Kim was accompanied at the ceremony by his teenage child, Ju Ae, whom numerous analysts think he is grooming as his successor.North Korea
formally verified in April that it had actually released troops to support Russias war effort and acknowledged casualties among its
forces.Last week, legislator Lee stated Pyongyang could send out additional soldiers to Ukraine as early as this month, citing intelligence
from South Koreas National Intelligence Service.However, South Koreas Defense Ministry said Tuesday it presently sees no indications of
imminent releases, noting that North Korean forces are taken part in their annual summer training period, with some frontline units
participating in mid-year drills.
