North Korea will send 6,000 people to Russia’s Kursk region to help with reconstruction and mine removal, a Russian official said Tuesday.
According to Russia’s state news agency, Tass, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu made the announcement after visiting Pyongyang.
Shoigu reportedly said the group will include 1,000 demining personnel to clear mines in Russia’s Kursk region, along with 5,000 military construction workers to assist with infrastructure restoration.
Shoigu called the move a gesture of “brotherly aid” and said memorials would be built in both countries to honor North Korean soldiers who died in the conflict.
No timeline was given for when the workers will arrive.
This is not the first time North Korea has sent personnel to support Russia. In late 2024, Pyongyang deployed around 12,000 troops to assist Russian forces after Ukraine captured parts of the Kursk region. With North Korean support, Russian troops recaptured most of that territory by March 2025.
The latest deployment follows a report from the U.K. Defense Ministry last week, stating that over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.
