Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, paid tribute to fallen soldiers on the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. According to state media reports, Kim visited a military cemetery called the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery, located near Pyongyang. He was accompanied by North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam, other military officials, and his sister Kim Yo-jong.
During his visit, Kim referred to the Korean War as the miracle of July 27 and emphasized its significance in human history. He stated that the war inflicted a lasting disgrace and defeat on the United States imperialism, the alleged chieftain of aggression, and prevented a new world war, according to state news agency KCNA.
This public appearance marked Kim’s first in 37 days, following his attendance at a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s central committee on June 19. The photos released by KCNA showed Kim bowing solemnly and laying a wreath at the cemetery. He also visited another cemetery dedicated to Chinese soldiers killed during the war.
The Korean War, known as the Great Fatherland Liberation War in North Korea, officially ended on July 27, 1953, without a signed ceasefire agreement. Typically, North Korea commemorates the anniversary with a national holiday called Victory Day, as the regime’s narrative portrays the North’s victory and the forces it faced calling for an armistice.
