In brief
In a significant development in the Russia-North Korea relationship, the Kremlin announced the dispatch of 5,000 construction workers and additional combat engineers to help rebuild the Kursk region, a site of previous military cooperation amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
North Korea is set to send a large contingent of construction workers to assist in the reconstruction of Russia's Kursk region, reports Sergei K. Shoigu, a high-ranking official in the Kremlin and close advisor to President Vladimir Putin. The announcement was made following a meeting in Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 17, 2025. Shoigu stated that the North Korean regime has agreed to supply 5,000 construction workers along with 1,000 sappers—engineers skilled in combat and demining operations.This move comes as reports suggest that North Korean troops previously fought alongside Russian forces during the military efforts against Ukraine. While Kim Jong-un has yet to publicly confirm the details of this agreement through state-run media, visuals of the leaders’ encounter indicate a strengthening of mutual cooperation between the two nations. During the meeting, Shoigu emphasized that he was sent by Putin to reinforce this partnership, remarking, "There is an order from the president... It must be carried out." North Korean laborers have already been working in Russia, with estimates indicating that around 15,000 North Korean workers contribute to various projects there, despite U.N. sanctions aimed at restricting such labor transfers. This arrangement proves beneficial for both Kim’s regime, which gains crucial foreign currency, and Russia, which faces labor shortages exacerbated by the conflicts in Ukraine.
