North Korea publicly thanked troops taking part in “overseas operations” during the Sept. 9 founding anniversary, state media reported, marking an explicit acknowledgment of servicemembers deployed abroad.
State television showed leader Kim Jong Un addressing a concert and expressing “special thanks” to troops serving overseas, according to a Reuters dispatch summarizing North Korean state media coverage of the event.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency also reported that state media footage included returning personnel and scenes of wounded soldiers being greeted, language that commentators said pointed to troops being involved beyond the Korean peninsula.
Western and regional analysts have estimated significant North Korean troop deployments abroad in recent months. Reuters cited outside estimates that around 14,000 to 15,000 personnel were sent to fight alongside Russian forces since late 2024.
North Korea did not name the countries where the troops served in state reports, and the official coverage framed the remarks as praise tied to national celebration rather than a disclosure of operational details.
Analysts say public praise for “overseas operations” can serve domestic propaganda goals while allowing Pyongyang to acknowledge deployments without providing specifics; Reuters and Yonhap both noted the cautious wording of state media reports.
The phrase “overseas operations” and the footage released by state media mark one of the clearest North Korean acknowledgements to date of troops serving beyond its borders, according to the combined reporting used here.
Sources
- Reuters — reported Kim’s remarks at the Sept. 9 founding anniversary and cited estimates of 14,000–15,000 troops sent overseas.
- Yonhap — reported that state media showed footage of returning and injured soldiers and provided additional detail on the state broadcast.
