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Kim Jong-un has called on young people to prepare for war in Ukraine

Kim Jong-un has called on young people to prepare for war in Ukraine

04 May 2026, 20:01

Kim Jong-un has called on young people to prepare for war in Ukraine — Kim Jong-un

At the congress, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un described young people as a key force in carrying out the tasks of the Workers’ Party of Korea and urged them to support the war in Ukraine on the side of Russia.

This has been reported by the state news agency KCNA and Reuters.

It has emerged that the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League took place in Pyongyang; this event is held in North Korea every five years for young men and women aged between 14 and 30.

The event concluded this week with mass rallies, torchlight processions and a gala concert.

During his speech, Kim Jong-un called for “greater organisation and ideological discipline” among young people and emphasised that the youth league is a vital force for implementing the ruling party’s decisions.

According to Reuters, the Workers’ Party directly linked the loyalty of young people to Pyongyang’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, stating in a letter to congress participants that young soldiers sent on overseas operations had “become bombs and flames” to defend the country’s honour.

According to South Korean, Ukrainian and Western officials, the DPRK has sent around 14,000 troops to support Russian forces in the Kursk region. They also claim that more than 6,000 of them may have been killed.

Last month, Pyongyang unveiled a memorial in honour of the fallen soldiers. Against a backdrop of tightening ideological control, the North Korean authorities are also severely restricting the influence of foreign culture, particularly South Korean music, films and slang.

It is worth recalling that Kim Jong-un previously praised North Korean soldiers for blowing themselves up in the war in Ukraine rather than being taken prisoner.

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