www.kcna.kp (2025.08.22.)
A ceremony of awarding state commendations to the commanding officers and combatants of the overseas military operations units of the KPA was held at the headquarters building of the Central Committee of the WPK. [...]
Secretaries and other senior officials of the WPK Central Committee warmly congratulated the proud sons of the country putting garlands around their necks and giving bouquets.
The venue of the ceremony was full of respect for the brave soldiers who participated in the war with boundless loyalty to the order of the country.
Kim Jong Un met the bereaved families of the martyrs and consoled them, sharing with them the pain of loss.
Kim Jong Un laid a flower before the memorial wall and paid silent tribute, wishing that the noble life of the martyrs who participated in the war to defend the dignity and honour of the great state with their precious lives would shine forever as a star of eternal feats in the memory of the country and the people.
He also placed medals beside the portraits of fallen North Korean troops
Note: One hundred one is my count of the portraits in the photos—the number didn't appear in any of the articles I read. The yahoo news article claims over 600 died, but their source was South Korea.
It makes me wonder if this will change the DPRK's goals moving forwards, they've recently been more antagonistic towards occupied Korea, and no longer think peaceful reunification is possible while the US is around, but at the same time, they would know how devastating a war would be and this might be a grim reminder of how much suffering a war of liberation would cause. They might reorganise efforts to push for peaceful reunification after this.
I think they were already aware of the cost of war considering they were bombed into oblivion pretty much in the last korean war. Them mourning lost soldiers like this isnt them being shocked at soldiers having died. Its just what you do when you lose people.
The soldiers lost in Kursk were lost defending the territory of an ally. Any soldiers lost against occupied Korea or the US would also be lost defensively.
They are a nation that is designed to be uninvadable. And they have a strong understanding of how empire works. Look at Iran for example. Try to negotiate and they see it as weakness and attack you. So the DPRK acting "antagonistic" is simply them reminding empire why they should not be attacked. I do not believe the DPRK would ever enter into an offensive war against occupied Korea without first being attacked.
In fact their stance in not reunifying while the US exists makes sense. Because to reunify would require letting down their guard. Which the US would no doubt take advantage of. Its a purely defensive stance, and increased volatility in the world only makes it more logical.
Good points. They do probably recognise that any olive branch from the west has a knife hidden behind it, and if their goal is to avoid war and suffering, the last thing they'd want is to accidentally invite greater destruction by taking the west at their word.
At the same time, arguably a purpose of the DPRK participating in the Russia/Ukraine war is to prepare for war with the RoK by having their surviving personnel gain experience (which sounds grim but would not be strange at all for a country to do).