North Korea Sends 6,000 Military Workers, Sappers to Russia's Kursk Region

North Korea is significantly deepening its military and economic cooperation with Russia, exemplified by an agreement to send approximately 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Russia's war-damaged Kursk region to aid reconstruction and demining efforts. This follows the deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces in the conflict against Ukraine, where North Korean casualties have reportedly mounted to thousands. The partnership, formalized by a strategic treaty signed in 2024, also includes mutual assistance provisions and has seen North Korea supplying Russia with weapons and missiles. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has met multiple times with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang to coordinate these efforts, underscoring the growing strategic alliance amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Additionally, memorials are planned in both countries to honor North Korean soldiers who died fighting alongside Russian troops. This cooperation reflects Russia's increasing reliance on North Korean military manpower and arms to bolster its operations in Ukraine despite international sanctions.