North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged his country would triumph in its “anti-imperialist, anti-U.S.” confrontation during ceremonies marking the 71st anniversary of the Korean War armistice, state media reported Sunday.
During a visit to Pyongyang’s war museum, Kim declared North Korea would achieve its goal of becoming “a rich country with a strong army,” according to KCNA. The July 27 anniversary, called “Victory Day” in the North, commemorates the 1953 agreement that halted fighting but left the peninsula divided.
The report comes as North Korea deepens military cooperation with Russia, including alleged troop deployments to Ukraine’s Kursk region and weapons shipments to Moscow. South Korean officials warn additional North Korean forces may be sent to Russia this summer.
South Korea observes no special commemorations for the armistice date. The 1953 agreement was signed by U.S. generals representing UN forces, maintaining the pre-war border despite massive territorial swings during the conflict.
