Pyongyang\u2019s soldiers are \u201ctrue heroes of our time,\u201d Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has said<\/p>\n
Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has awarded North Korean troops, who helped liberate Russia\u2019s Kursk Region from Ukrainian forces, with the Order of Courage during his visit to Pyongyang.
\nLast year, North Korean soldiers, acting under the June 2024 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Moscow and Pyongyang, joined the Russian operation to repel a large-scale Ukrainian incursion into the border region. They also participated in mine-clearing activities in the area.
\nDuring a ceremony on Sunday, Belousov said that it was \u201ca truly special day in the record of the Russian-Korean military brotherhood.\u201d
\nThe North Korean troops who fought in Kursk Region are \u201cthe true heroes of our time, the elite of the Korean armed forces, their pride and their tower of strength,\u201d he stressed.
\n\u201cI express my deepest gratitude on behalf of the entire Russian people and personally for the assistance that they had provided,\u201d the minister added.
\nPyongyang\u2019s servicemen received the Order of Courage, introduced in Russia in 1994 to recognize selfless acts of courage and valor, on the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, he noted.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, Belousov and Russian Parliament Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin attended the opening of a museum and memorial dedicated to the North Korean soldiers, who helped liberate the Kursk Region.<\/p>\n
The minister also held talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, discussing further intensification of military ties between the two countries.
\nThere is desire in both Russia and North Korea to develop defense cooperation on \u201ca sustainable, long-term basis,\u201d he said.
\nBelousov told Kim that Moscow is \u201cready to sign a Russian-Korean Military Cooperation Plan for the 2027-2031 period this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: North Korea tests new electromagnetic and blackout bombs<\/p>\n
According to the minister, bilateral relations have reached \u201can unprecedentedly high level,\u201d with more contacts in various fields expected between Moscow and Pyongyang in 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pyongyang\u2019s soldiers are \u201ctrue heroes of our time,\u201d Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has said Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has awarded North Korean troops, who helped liberate Russia\u2019s Kursk Region…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34100,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t