Why North Korea’s Kim is lauding Ukraine war sacrifices as key party congress looms

2026-02-17 - 00:08

North Korea appears to be recasting the human cost of its involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine as a carefully staged display of loyalty and leadership, with analysts pointing in particular to the unveiling of a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of fallen soldiers as a central part of that effort. Several observers argue that leader Kim Jong-un is seeking not only to recast battlefield losses as patriotic sacrifice but also to head off potential unease before a key party congress...