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North's military delegation heads to Russia after confirmation of troop dispatch to fight Ukraine

Published: 29 Apr. 2025, 09:17 Updated: 29 Apr. 2025, 18:27

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un pose for a photo during a signing ceremony of a new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]

North Korea's military delegation has left for Russia to attend an international event, the North's state media reported Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to Russia to fight Ukraine in Kursk.

Led by Pak Young-il, deputy director of the General Political Bureau of the North's Korean People's Army, the delegation departed Pyongyang the previous day to attend an international antifascism event in Russia, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The KCNA's two-sentence dispatch did not elaborate further, but the trip comes as Russia is set to hold the 80th Victory Day celebrations on May 9.

Speculation has risen over whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would travel to Russia around the time of the celebrations, following an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Pyongyang in June last year.

On Monday, North Korea officially confirmed that it had deployed troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, while Putin issued a statement thanking Kim for the troop deployment.

Also on Monday, Putin said he would declare a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to mark Victory Day.

Yonhap