North Korea's Kim hails troops fighting with Russia in 'alien land'

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un hailed troops fighting in an "alien land" in his New Year message, state media reported on Thursday, in which he underscored Pyongyang's "invincible alliance" with Moscow.

Without mentioning fighting with Russia against Ukraine, Kim addressed personnel in what the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) described as "overseas operations units," congratulating them on their "heroic" defence of the nation's honour and instructing them to "be brave."

"As the whole country is enveloped in a festive atmosphere of greeting the new year, I all the more miss you, who are fighting bravely on the battlefields in the alien land even at this moment, true to the order of your homeland," he said, according to KCNA.

"Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow," Kim said in the message.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's nearly four-year full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies.

At least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates.

Analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology and food and energy supplies from Russia in return.

North Korean soldiers are instructed to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner, according to South Korea's intelligence service.

The North Korean leader praised soldiers for strengthening the alliance with Russia, calling on them to fight "for the fraternal Russian people."

Two North Korean prisoners of war held by Ukraine said they hoped to start a "new life" in South Korea, according to a letter seen by AFP in December.

Previous reports had indicated that the two men, held captive by Kyiv since January 2025 after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, were seeking to defect to the South.

In the letter, the two prisoners thanked those working on their behalf "for encouraging us and seeing this situation not as a tragedy but as the beginning of a new life."

"We firmly believe that we are never alone and we think of those in South Korea as our own parents and siblings and have decided to go into their embrace," they wrote.

After weeks of speculation, North Korea confirmed in April that it had sent troops to support Russian forces in putting down a surprise Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk region.

Kim sent the troops under the mutual defence treaty both countries signed in 2024, the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party said in a statement.

And in June, Kim again affirmed his "unconditional support" for Russia's war against Ukraine during a meeting with a top Russian official.

The comments were made during talks with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang, according to KCNA.

Kim reiterated his “unconditional support for the stand of Russia and its foreign policies in all the crucial international political issues including the Ukrainian issue," KCNA said.