Russia is reportedly set to bring in 12,000 North Korean workers to its territory by the end of the year to produce self-destructing drones.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, chairman of the National Defense Commission, signed a treaty on a comprehensive strategic partnership in June last year, the two countries have been tightening their military alignment.
On the 14th (local time), the Ministry of National Defense's Main Directorate of Intelligence said in a Telegram message that Russia plans to bring these North Korean personnel to the Alabuga special economic zone in the Republic of Tatarstan, about 800 kilometers east of Moscow.
Russia transferred Shahed drone manufacturing technology from Iran and set up a drone production base in the Alabuga special economic zone. It has mass-produced Shahed drones there and used them in air raids on Ukraine.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence said that in late Oct., representatives of the North Korean corporations "Jihyang Technology Trading Company" met with Russian officials at the Russian Foreign Ministry to discuss the plan. The agency added that the company is responsible for recruiting and selecting North Korean workers.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence explained that Moscow promised to pay about $2.5 (about 3,600 won) per hour for North Korean labor, and that workers' hours are expected to be at least 12 hours per day.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence criticized the move, saying it "suggests that strategic cooperation between the two dictatorial regimes is deepening to sustain the war of aggression against Ukraine."
Meanwhile, Russia recaptured the Kursk region with the help of North Korean expeditionary troops in Aug. last year. More recently, North Korean engineers in the area have been conducting mine clearance operations together with Russian engineers.