North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised a newly built residential street intended for the families of soldiers killed in overseas service, according to state media, with released images showing him accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae.
The official Korean Central News Agency said the housing project on Saeppyol Street was completed as a tribute to what it described as the country’s “heroic martyrs.” In a speech carried by the agency, Kim said the development reflected the nation’s wish that those who “sacrificed their most valuable things” for the state would be honored through support for their families.
While the report did not explicitly mention Russia, the announcement comes amid continued claims by South Korean and Western intelligence agencies that North Korea has deployed troops to assist Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. Seoul has estimated that roughly 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed, though Pyongyang has not confirmed such figures.
Photographs published by KCNA showed Kim touring the newly constructed apartments with Kim Ju Ae, who has increasingly appeared at major public events. South Korea’s intelligence agency recently suggested that her prominent visibility signals her status as a likely successor.
One image depicted Kim speaking with individuals believed to be relatives of a fallen soldier, while others showed families inspecting facilities inside the new flats.
The housing rollout precedes North Korea’s upcoming party congress, one of the country’s most significant political gatherings, where observers expect Kim to outline policy priorities. Analysts say the timing of the inauguration may serve a political purpose.
Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification described the move as a symbolic gesture aimed at reinforcing domestic support, saying it portrays the state as providing tangible compensation to bereaved families.
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