By AFP
SEOUL: State media images showed leader Kim Jong Un honouring the flag-draped coffins of North Korean soldiers killed helping Russia fight Ukraine, as Seoul鈥檚 defence ministry said Tuesday it saw no signs of further troop deployments yet.
The nuclear-armed North has become one of Russia鈥檚 main allies during its more than three-year-long Ukraine offensive, sending thousands of troops and container loads of weapons to help the Kremlin oust Ukrainian forces from Kursk.
Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed and thousands more wounded fighting for Russia, according to South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun, citing information from Seoul鈥檚 spy agency.
The images of a visibly emotional Kim mourning the fallen soldiers were broadcast by the official Korean Central Television, released as part of an event in Pyongyang on Sunday attended by Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova.
It marked the one-year anniversary of a military pact signed by the two countries, which includes a mutual defence clause.
Kim was shown placing a North Korean flag over a coffin during a ceremony for the return of the remains of North Korean soldiers who were deployed and killed in Moscow鈥檚 war against Kyiv.
The footage also showed images of North Korean soldiers in the battlefield, accompanied by captions that said: 鈥淥h, our heroes, shining stars of my homeland鈥 and 鈥渢hose who gave their lives without hesitation to defend honour shine like radiant stars.鈥
North Korean and Russian attendees were shown bursting into tears as they watched the tribute.
A photograph of a document, purportedly penned by Kim, was also featured, with a caption saying he had 鈥渁pproved operational plans for the liberation of Kursk and issued attack orders to special operations units鈥 in the final months of 2024.
The North Korean leader attended the performance with his teenage daughter Ju Ae 鈥 widely seen by many analysts as his likely successor.
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North Korea only confirmed it had deployed troops to support Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine in April, and admitted that its soldiers had been killed in combat.
South Korean lawmaker Lee said last week that the North will send more troops to Russia to assist in its war against Ukraine, possibly as early as this month, citing Seoul鈥檚 spy agency.
But Seoul鈥檚 defence ministry said Tuesday it currently sees 鈥渘o signs鈥 that North Korea is preparing to deploy troops to Russia, noting that the country is in its summer training period, with some frontline units also participating in mid-year drills.