North Korea is sending thousands of construction workers to assist in rebuilding a Russian border region, according to a Russian official. This announcement follows a meeting in Pyongyang between Sergei K. Shoigu, a close aide to President Vladimir V. Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
During the meeting, Shoigu stated that Kim had agreed to dispatch 5,000 construction workers and 1,000 combat engineers, referred to as sappers, to Russia’s Kursk region. This area is significant as it was the site where North Korean troops fought alongside Russian forces against Ukraine earlier this year. The sappers are intended to work on demining efforts in the region.
While North Korean state media has not confirmed Shoigu's announcement, a video released by Russian state media showed Kim warmly welcoming Shoigu and expressing his commitment to deepening cooperation between the two nations.
Shoigu indicated that his visit was carried out at the direction of President Putin, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling this directive. Reports from South Korean intelligence suggest that as many as 15,000 North Korean workers are currently employed in Russia, despite U.N. Security Council sanctions, providing both countries with mutual benefits; North Korea gains foreign currency while Russia addresses labor shortages exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.
Since last year, South Korea has observed a significant increase in the number of North Korean laborers in Russia, up from approximately 4,000 construction workers. Each worker is estimated to earn around $800 a month.
The plan to send additional North Korean laborers to Kursk is viewed as a strategic move, highlighting the close ties between the two countries. Shoigu referred to the incoming laborers as "military construction workers" who will assist in repairing infrastructure, including electrical and communications lines, roads, and buildings, once demining is completed.
Shoigu characterized this assistance as "fraternal aid" from the North Korean people and Kim Jong-un to Russia, specifically to the Kursk region. It remains unclear how Russia plans to compensate North Korea for these workers; however, South Korean officials have noted that Russia has previously provided North Korea with fuel, food, and military materials in exchange for support in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Shoigu also mentioned that Russia and North Korea are in discussions to establish direct flights between their capitals for the first time in over three decades. A delegation from Russia that accompanied Shoigu included sculptors and architects tasked with planning memorials in both countries to honor North Korea’s military personnel who fought in Kursk.
“The feat that Korean servicemen — now comrades in arms in the Kursk region — accomplished should of course be immortalized,” Shoigu stated.