North Korea To Send Thousands Of Workers To Help Russia Rebuild Kursk
North Korea is ramping up its support for Russia by sending 5,000 construction workers and 1,000 deminers to the war-damaged Kursk region, according to Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu. Speaking during his visit to Pyongyang, Shoigu called the move “a kind of fraternal assistance from the Korean people and leader Kim Jong Un to our country.” Kursk, which is located near Russia’s western border, has seen months of fighting where North Korean troops reportedly helped Russian forces push back Ukrainian soldiers.
The deployment of the workers deepens the growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. Both countries have previously confirmed that thousands of North Korean soldiers had already fought alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, and Russia and North Korea continue to expand their cooperation with each other, with discussions even covering future direct flights and joint memorials to honor fallen North Korean soldiers in Kursk. As Kim Jong Un told Shoigu during their meeting: “our cooperation is deepening.”
Meanwhile, Western officials remain concerned that Pyongyang may be receiving advanced Russian military technology in return. South Korea and the United States have condemned the arrangement, calling it a clear violation of UN sanctions. A U.S. State Department spokesperson warned that North Korea’s regime is “now relying on Russia to provide it with desperately needed funds in exchange for labour and soldier for hire schemes.”
