Kim Jong Un Visits Pyongyang Housing Complex for Families of Dispatched Soldiers, Calls It "Pride of the State"
by Oh Kuemin
Published 16 Feb.2026 11:17(KST)
Comforting bereaved families with daughter Ju Ae
"Preferential treatment for families of fallen war participants" stresses veterans' benefits
North Korea has completed the construction of the newly developed “Saebyeol Street” in the new town of its capital, Pyongyang, for the families of soldiers who died after being dispatched to Russia. This large-scale project for veterans is seen as an attempt to justify participation in the Ukraine war, which resulted in massive casualties, to prevent public discontent, and to present the troop dispatch as a “key achievement” at the 9th Workers’ Party Congress to be held in the latter half of this month.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 16th that a completion ceremony for Saebyeol Street, built on a prime site in the Hwasong district of Pyongyang, was held the previous day with State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un in attendance.
The ceremony was attended by Kim’s daughter Ju Ae, soldiers and members of an engineering unit who had been dispatched to overseas military operations, commanders of the Ministry of National Defense and officers and men of Korean People’s Army units, faculty members and students of revolutionary schools, and citizens of Pyongyang.
In his completion speech, Kim said, “This very moment embodies the strength of Korea and symbolizes the greatness of the Korean people,” adding that it is “a moment of deep emotion that records the most heroic era in the history of Pyongyang.” He went on to say, “Saebyeol Street is the honor of our generation, and also the pride of Pyongyang and the pride of our state,” stressing, “The Party and the government will take every possible measure so that the beloved family members, whom the fallen heroes would have wanted to settle on the land of the ever more prosperous motherland, can enjoy a proud and rewarding life under national preferential treatment and the attention of the entire society.”
He also said that the authorities must “firmly grasp and thoroughly implement preferential and special measures for the families of fallen war participants as an important policy issue, and always pay close attention to the lives of the bereaved families so that they do not experience even the slightest inconvenience.”
After cutting the completion ribbon, Kim handed over housing use permits for the apartments to the bereaved families in the name of the Workers’ Party Central Committee and bowed to them. He visited the homes of bereaved families, including a wife who lost her husband in the war and a couple who lost their twin sons, to offer condolences. Kim said they were “models of patriots who, without seeking any kind of reward, fought by unstintingly dedicating even their precious lives solely to obey the call of the motherland,” and added, “Now that the bereaved families have opened a new household in the capital and can be the first to enjoy the beautiful life of the motherland, it seems that the knot of grief in their hearts is being loosened, if only a little.” Kim also encouraged a child of a dispatched soldier, saying, “I hope the son studying at the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School will follow in his father’s footsteps and become an outstanding person.” The revolutionary schools are special educational institutions designed to train the children of those who died after contributing to the state and society as future Party cadres. It appears that the children of dispatched troops also enjoy the special privilege of being able to become cadres through these schools.
In August last year, Kim personally announced the plan to build a housing complex for war participants and their families. On January 31, new administrative districts in the Hwasong area, including “Saebyeol-dong,” “Songam-dong,” and “Hwaweon 3-dong,” were officially designated. With the completion of Saebyeol Street in the Hwasong district, it appears that the construction of 50,000 housing units in Pyongyang, which North Korea has presented as the “top-priority task” to be completed before the 9th Workers’ Party Congress in the latter half of this month, will soon be finished. The construction of 50,000 housing units in Pyongyang is one of the key projects of the Kim Jong Un regime decided at the 8th Workers’ Party Congress in 2021. The core of the plan is to build 10,000 units each year over five years to resolve the housing shortage in the capital.
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