North Korea leader meets families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine

The North Korean leader met the families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveKim meets families of North Korea soldiers killed fighting in Ukraine1 day agoShareSaveDanai Nesta KupembaBBC News ShareSaveKCNANorth Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un met with bereaved families of soldiers who died in Ukraine. Kim Jong Un has met the families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine, expressing his "deep condolences", North Korean state media says.

In a special ceremony held on Friday, the North Korean leader was seen comforting bereaved families and presenting them portraits of their dead loved ones wrapped in the east Asian nation's flag.

South Korea believes the North has sent some 15,000 troops to aid Russia in its invasion, along with missiles and long-range weapons. In return, it is believed North Korea received food, money and technical help.

North Korea only acknowledged its role in the foreign conflict in April, admitting that some of its soldiers had been killed.

Western officials told the BBC in January that they believed at least 1,000 of the troops sent from North Korea had been killed in three months, with several thousand more wounded - but more recent estimates have put death toll closer to 600.