North Korea: North Korea will dispatch thousands of workers and military personnel to help reconstruct Russia’s war-ravaged Kursk region, Russian authorities have confirmed. The announcement has triggered strong international condemnation, with critics warning of potential violations of United Nations sanctions.
Speaking after high-level talks in Pyongyang, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu described the planned deployment as ‘fraternal assistance.’ Shoigu met with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un to finalise the arrangement.
North Korea intends to send a division of builders, two military brigades of 5,000 people, along with 1,000 deminers to support the restoration of the Kursk region, which has seen extensive damage amid ongoing conflict. Kim and Shoigu discussed long-term plans during the meeting, suggesting that deeper collaboration may follow.
The move has provoked swift and stern reactions from neighbouring nations. Japan also voiced its alarm. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that, “We are seriously concerned about these developments as it will worsen the Ukrainian situation and affect the regional security environment surrounding Japan.”
Tensions surrounding North Korea’s support for Russia have been escalating for months, amid reports of thousands of North Korean troops assisting Moscow’s military efforts in Ukraine. Both Russia and North Korea acknowledged the presence of North Korean forces earlier this year, and were strongly criticised by South Korea and the United States.
South Korean intelligence estimates suggest that approximately 15,000 North Koreans are already working in Russia under bilateral industrial cooperation agreements, providing Pyongyang with much-needed revenue. In November, Moscow and Pyongyang signed a mutual defence treaty, pledging mutual assistance in the event of aggression against either nation. Kim Jong Un declared the pact elevated their relationship to a new high level of alliance.
Despite widespread international objections, both countries continue to deepen ties as Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on. Earlier, Russia claimed to have fully regained control of the western Kursk region, a claim Ukraine has publicly disputed.
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