North Korea plans to grant Pyongyang residency to families of soldiers killed fighting in Russia, but it’s strictly limiting the privilege to immediate relatives and conducting thorough background checks to prevent an influx of provincial residents into the capital.
Multiple sources in North Korea say the military and ruling party are jointly preparing eligibility lists and verifying family relationships.
Kim Jong Un announced the initiative during an August 2024 meeting with bereaved families. “The Workers’ Party and the state will work diligently so that you can begin happy lives in Pyongyang with the respect and admiration of the entire country,” Kim said.
Relocating bereaved families to Pyongyang is the first step toward fulfilling Kim’s pledge.
The regime has limited eligibility to immediate family members—parents, spouses, and children—to prevent too many people from gaining Pyongyang residency. Grandparents and siblings apparently don’t qualify, even if they currently live with eligible relatives.
The state is exploring giving ineligible family members new housing in their current locations instead.
While grandparents of deceased soldiers cannot move to Pyongyang, eligible family members may have the option of forfeiting their capital residency in exchange for new homes where they currently live.
“The reason the military and Workers’ Party are so thoroughly vetting immediate family members is to prevent the capital from being overrun by provincial residents,” a source explained.
North Koreans view Pyongyang residency as a privilege reserved for certain classes. The regime appears to be granting it to bereaved families both to dampen public discontent about the Russian deployment and to keep those families from leaking information about it.
Loyalty screenings and control measures
State security agencies are investigating bereaved family members’ attitudes in organizational activities, their loyalty to the ruling party, and their reputation among friends and relatives.
These background checks ensure that no one of questionable party loyalty receives Pyongyang residency.
“Bringing fallen soldiers’ family members to Pyongyang is preferential treatment, but it’s also designed to keep them under strict control,” said a military source familiar with the developments.
That suggests regime concerns about bereaved families potentially leaking information about the Russian troop deployment.
“The number of bereaved family members who actually get Pyongyang residency may be fewer than expected. Given how strictly they’re being vetted, even immediate family won’t be allowed to live in Pyongyang if there are any doubts about their loyalty,” the source said.
January 07, 2026 at 05:56AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)