North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency reported on Friday that families of soldiers killed after being deployed to the war in Ukraine have begun moving into the Saebyeol Street residential complex built in the Hwasong district, a major urban area in Pyongyang. (KCNA-Yonhap)
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency reported on Friday that families of soldiers killed after being deployed to the war in Ukraine have begun moving into the Saebyeol Street residential complex built in the Hwasong district, a major urban area in Pyongyang. (KCNA-Yonhap)

North Korea has begun moving families of soldiers killed during its deployment to the war in Ukraine into a newly built residential district in Pyongyang, state media reported Friday, as the regime steps up efforts to justify its overseas military involvement and bolster internal cohesion.

According to the North’s main newspaper Rodong Sinmun and the state-run Korean Central News Agency, residents have started moving into “Saebyeol Street,” a housing complex built in the Hwasong district of Pyongyang. The name “Saebyeol” means “new star” in Korean.

The reports said families of fallen soldiers were welcomed by senior officials, including Premier Pak Thae-song, as well as party and government cadres, military commanders and construction workers who participated in building the neighborhood.

North Korean media have portrayed the project as part of the state’s responsibility to care for the families of those who died in military service, emphasizing that officials are duty-bound to support the livelihoods of bereaved parents, spouses and children. The reports also highlighted emotional scenes of families expressing gratitude as they moved into new homes.

North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that families of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war have begun moving into the Saebyeol Street residential complex in Pyongyang’s Hwasong district. (KCNA-Yonhap)
North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that families of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war have begun moving into the Saebyeol Street residential complex in Pyongyang’s Hwasong district. (KCNA-Yonhap)

Saebyeol Street was developed as a large-scale residential complex in Pyongyang’s Hwasong area, one of the capital’s major urban expansion zones. It was specifically intended for families of troops killed during North Korea’s involvement in the Ukraine war.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un first unveiled the plan to build the housing district during a state ceremony in August last year, honoring deployed troops. He later inspected the construction site multiple times and attended the completion ceremony in February, during which he toured finished housing units.

State media praised the fallen soldiers for sacrificing their lives to enhance the strength and prestige of the country, framing their deaths as acts of patriotic devotion. The coverage also underscored the regime’s broader effort to elevate benefits and recognition for deployed troops and their families.

Observers say the move reflects Pyongyang’s attempt to legitimize its participation in the Ukraine conflict while reinforcing domestic unity and maintaining military morale through visible state support for war casualties.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimates that around 10,000 to 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed, with approximately 6,000 killed or wounded since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.


mkjung@heraldcorp.com