A ceremony to award state commendations to commanders and combatants of the Korean People's Army's overseas operational units was held.

 It is confirmed, although not officially but through the pictures that the number of North Korean combatants killed in action in Ukraine- Kursk, is 104.

The death toll of North Korean soldiers reported on Western media ranged from 600 to 37,000 (interestingly the total number  of confirmed North Korean soldiers were 10,000). That variation of reported numbers by itself actually validates how unreliable, subjective and a tool of propaganda for the Western narratives. 

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August 22, 2025, 7:27 AM

The highest honor bestowed upon the great sons, representatives of the fatherland's great honor.

On the 22nd, the Korean Central News Agency reported the following news: Marshal Kim Jong Un attended a ceremony to award state commendations to commanders and combatants of the Korean People's Army's overseas operational units.

The exceptional fighting spirit and bravery of the Korean People's Army, which reliably upholds the victorious tradition of the Juche Revolution with its invincible guns, proudly brings to mind the might and sacred authority of our nation at the forefront of the world and a legendary heroic story unprecedented in history.

The Republic's armed forces combatants, who took part in overseas military operations in high-handed obedience to the orders of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, fought fiercely in bloody battles where life and death were at stake, demonstrating to the world the ideological and spiritual superiority of the Korean People's Army, which no other country's army in the world can match, and the indomitable spirit of the Korean people.

A ceremony to award state commendations to commanders and combatants of the Korean People's Army's overseas operational units was held at the headquarters building of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The veterans who came tens of thousands of miles in response to Comrade Kim Jong Un's fervent wish and heartfelt call to warmly embrace the great successors and representatives who have firmly carried on our nation's unique victorious traditions into the new century with the honor of a gold star were warmly welcomed by the Party Central Committee officials.

Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and other responsible officials congratulated the country's great sons by giving them flower necklaces and bouquets of flowers.

At the National Commendation Ceremony, there was a solemn sense of respect for the veterans who were infinitely loyal to their country's commands.

Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attended the state commendation ceremony.

The award ceremony was attended by commanders, combatants, and bereaved families of martyrs who had distinguished themselves in overseas military operations.

Members of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, key commanders of the Ministry of National Defense, and military commanders of the combined forces of the Korean People's Army participated.

The national anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was solemnly played.

The majestic melody of the nation, which multiplied the pride of being sons of a powerful nation and the strong desire for patriotism in every moment of life during the days of decisive battle, pushed them to the forefront of the charge and inspired them to immortal victory, made the veterans' hearts boil with intense passion.

Comrade Kim Jong-un made a meaningful speech.

Comrade Kim Jong Un expressed his emotion at meeting again at such a meaningful event the great sons and heroes of the country, who are the greatest pride of our country and whom all the people are waiting for, and awarding them the title of Hero of the Republic and a high-level state commendation. He also expressed his sincere gratitude and warmest fighting respect on behalf of the Party and the government to the commanding members and combatants of the overseas operational units who fought bravely in a foreign land amidst a hail of gunfire that could determine life or death, as befitting “Koreans” and “Korean People’s Army”, and proudly returned to the fatherland with great honor and brilliant military exploits.

Comrade Kim Jong Un said that the Party Central Committee organized the state commendation ceremony on a grand scale at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee with the desire to put forward before the country and people the great heroes who performed feats on the battlefield while protecting the sacred authority and dignity of the state and to have the whole country respect and uphold them, and that this is a special and valuable commendation given by the country and people to the honorable victors who performed great feats that could not have been achieved without bloody struggle.

Comrade Kim Jong Un said that as he held the first decoration ceremony today, he could not help but feel regretful that he could not appoint all of them together in this glorious place, as he saw the combatants and martyrs who were faithfully carrying out their duties and sacrificed themselves even at this moment, faithfully following the orders of the fatherland. He respectfully proposed that they hold a moment of silence to pray for the eternal life of the martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives participating in overseas military operations.

At Comrade Kim Jong-un's suggestion, all participants paid tribute to the war martyrs who achieved the precious victory through their indomitable fighting spirit and noble sacrifice.

Comrade Kim Jong Un said that all the participants in overseas operations who performed great feats that will be remembered in history for the eternal prosperity and strength of the fatherland are great men, great heroes and great patriots, and proudly said that the victory achieved by the veterans is a great feat that firmly defended the great honor of the Korean People's Army that must never be tarnished and provided a firm guarantee for the existence and development of our state, and that it is a victory that will be recorded as a miracle in the history of our military founding and the anti-imperialist revolutionary struggle and at the same time an event in the history of world war that re-established the logic of a strong nation that has been passed down for thousands of years.

Comrade Kim Jong Un stressed that the combat activities of the overseas operational units representing the armed forces of our Republic in the battlefields where the world's focus is focused have fully demonstrated the might of the heroic Korean People's Army that is winning every victory thanks to the clear superiority of its ideological spirit and Juche-oriented strategy and tactics, and that what the Party Central Committee attaches the highest importance to and evaluates with satisfaction is that the reputation of the ever-victorious Korean People's Army has undergone the strictest verification in its 70-plus-year history and that the reality of our army fully prepared for war has been clearly confirmed.

He said with fervent enthusiasm that today's award ceremony is a token of gratitude and a valuable assessment by our Party, state, and people for the historic feat of perfectly implementing the political decisions made by the Party and government for the fate and future of the fatherland and upholding the great honor that all generations of the Republic have built up and upheld for decades.

Comrade Kim Jong Un mentioned the outstanding heroism and noble sacrifice of our soldiers in the operational area where gunfire was exploding, saying that they are rightly heroes among heroes and that the overseas operational unit should be called a heroic unit, and stressed that the fundamental secret of the event of the victorious conclusion of the overseas military operation does not lie in the exploits of a few outstanding soldiers or heroes but in the mass character of heroism through and through and that the lofty and beautiful spiritual and moral character is firmly dominated by the ideology and emotions of all the soldiers.

Comrade Kim Jong Un said that the participants in the overseas operations were all the same in their thoroughness in executing orders, which is the essence of a soldier, their ardor and dedication in their love for the country and comrades-in-arms, and their morality was excellent in that they were faithful to their duty and knew how to make choices that were upright in their conscience even when facing the end of their lives. He said that with such extraordinary mental qualities, the comrades made the world aware of what makes our army so strong and what is the fundamental factor that makes it sure to win in any battle, and that this was an event that clearly engraved the concept of a strong army and the law of victory in the history and the times.

Comrade Kim Jong Un emphasized that it is the pride and glory of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to have such an army as the pioneer and guardian of their revolutionary cause, and that a country defended by a heroic army will be eternally powerful and that the cause of advancing with a heroic army in the vanguard is invincible.

Comrade Kim Jong Un mentioned the major measures to be implemented as a national project to hand down the exploits of the great war veterans for a long time, and affirmed that the glorious path pioneered by the war veterans with blood and the noble lives of the martyrs will never end, and the bloody battle records engraved with their names will shine forever as the most noble pages in the history of the fatherland.

Comrade Kim Jong Un said that our state will forever be dignified, mighty and strong thanks to great heroes like comrades, and that our army will continue the flow of the great history of victory in the war for millennia with its unique loyalty and heroic spirit, and wished immortal glory to the heroic soldiers of the overseas operation units who have established the highest and brightest peak in the long history of victory of our people and the absolute might of the revolutionary armed forces.

Comrade Kim Jong Un's speech, filled with the fiery love of the great father and truly filled with emotion, deeply moved the entire assembly.

All participants looked up to Comrade Kim Jong Un, who revealed a clear strategy for victory in battle with his outstanding military ideas and extraordinary strategic and tactical foresight, gave them the power and courage to destroy the enemy with the warm warmth and affection of their family, and today, he is being honored at the pinnacle of honor as a great hero and great patriot, and paid tribute with great respect and endless gratitude.

The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on awarding the title of Hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, decorations and medals to commanding officers and combatants who performed feats in overseas military operations was delivered.

Comrade Kim Jong Un personally awarded the title of Hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to skilled military commanders who led the combat units of the Republic's armed forces to victory in overseas operational areas and to soldiers who performed outstanding feats.

Comrade Kim Jong Un reverently recalled the noble images and brilliant ends of the war martyrs who fought without sparing their youth and lives, with a single belief and single will to uphold the orders of the fatherland with the most thorough execution, and personally pinned the Hero Medal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea next to their portraits.

The melody of the "Song of Comradeship," which encapsulates the sacred history of the Korean Revolution, which was pioneered, advanced, and won victories through comradeship, resonated throughout the award ceremony hall, conveying the warm blood ties between the leader and the soldiers, and creating a deeply moving painting that will be immortalized in the history of the fatherland.

Comrade Kim Jong Un laid flowers on the memorial wall and meditated, praying that the noble lives of the war martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives to protect the prestige and honor of our great nation would shine forever as stars of their feats in the memories of the fatherland and people.

Members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, commanders of the Ministry of National Defense, military commanders of the Korean People's Army's combined forces, and bereaved families of the martyrs laid flowers on the memorial wall.

Comrade Kim Jong-un met with the bereaved families of the martyrs, shared their pain of loss, and comforted them.

At the award ceremony, General Kim Yong-bok, commander of the Special Operations Forces and commander of the Korean People's Army Ground Forces, delivered a resolution debate on behalf of all soldiers of the overseas operations unit.

He expressed his excitement at having the unparalleled honor of receiving the Republic's highest commendation at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee, the Supreme Staff of the Korean Revolution, and mentioned that the soldiers of the overseas operational units felt even more keenly the good fortune of soldiers who held the great commander in high esteem in foreign battlefields, and that they held the iron principle that victory is certain if they fight only as Comrade Kim Jong Un instructs them.

All commanders and combatants of the overseas operational units, who are loyal soldiers of the great Comrade Kim Jong Un, guards of the Republic and sons of the heroic Korean people, will resolutely safeguard the authority of the Party Central Committee and firmly defend the honor of the country, the honor of the Korean People's Army and the honor of the Korean people until the day they return to the fatherland, he said, solemnly pledging to cherish today's valuable commendation with absolute faith and to remain faithful to the end to their mission and duty as the army of the Party, the army of the people and the army of Comrade Supreme Commander.

Comrade Kim Jong Un once again expressed his heartfelt gratitude and sublime respect to all the soldiers of the overseas operational units who, holding the glorious national flag in their hearts, fought through fierce battle fire to uphold the Party and the country's trust in our army and to exalt the great honor of the Korean People's Army, and to the deceased heroic martyrs whose feats and achievements should be passed down to future generations as a stepping stone to the sure victory of our state and army.

The indomitable fighting spirit, popular heroism, and immortal exploits displayed by the combatants of the overseas operational units of the Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will forever shine in the history of a rich and powerful nation as a model of the absolute loyalty unique to our army to the Party and revolution, and as a symbol of the eternal victory of our great nation and our cause.

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