SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed troops fighting in an “alien land” in a New Year message to soldiers, state media reported Thursday, in which he underscored Pyongyang’s alliance with Russia.

Without mentioning Ukraine, Kim addressed personnel in what state-run Korean Central News Agency described as “overseas operations units”, congratulating their “heroic” defence of the nation’s honour and instructing them to “be brave”.

“As the whole country is enveloped in a festive atmosphere of greeting the new year, I all the more miss you, who are fighting bravely on the battlefields in the alien land even at this moment, true to the order of your homeland. Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow,” he said.

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to Western intelligence agencies.

At least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2026