North Korea opens new housing area for families of soldiers killed overseas

Leader Kim Jong Un unveils housing for families of soldiers killed overseas amid North Korea’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.Published On 16 Feb 2026North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has opened a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of soldiers killed while fighting overseas amid the East Asian country’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.Kim said Saeppyol Street was “a source of honour for our generation and a pride of Pyongyang and our state”, North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on Monday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4North Korea’s Kim Jong Un sets stage for daughter as his successor: Seoullist 2 of 4N Korea, Russia bound in ‘blood’ of war, Kim tells Putin in New Year notelist 3 of 4North Korea’s Kim to outline plans to boost nuclear arsenallist 4 of 4North Korea’s Kim slams US-Seoul nuclear submarine deal as ‘offensive act’end of list“He prayed for the immortality of the martyrs along with its inauguration which will etch the martyrs’ names and images in history,” it added.While the report did not mention Russia, Kim last week pledged to “unconditionally support” all of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policies and decisions.Under a mutual defence pact with Moscow, Pyongyang dispatched thousands of soldiers to Ukraine in 2024, according to South Korean, Ukrainian and Western officials.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, centre, and his daughter Kim Ju Ae, standing behind, react on the day of the completion ceremony of a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of soldiers who died in overseas military operations [KCNA via Reuters]Kim said he had pushed to finish the project “even one day earlier” in the hope it might bring “some small comfort” to the soldiers’ families, state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.Photographs released by KCNA showed Kim, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae, consoling family members of the fallen soldiers and visiting their newly completed homes.South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told legislators last week it estimated 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded during their deployment in the war against Ukraine, but did not provide a breakdown of deaths.Kim Jong Un with attendees on the day of the inauguration of the housing district [KCNA via Reuters]South Korea’s spy agency has also warned that North Korean forces are gaining modern combat experience and benefitting from Russian technical assistance that could enhance Pyongyang’s weapons systems.