North Korea sends nearly 15,000 migrants to Russia to cover labor market shortage, WSJ reports

North Korea sent about 15,000 labor migrants to Russia to cover the labor market shortage in the country, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on May 5, citing South Korean intelligence.

The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

North Korea has been one of Russia's staunchest supporters since the start of the full-scale war. The economic and military cooperation has only deepened, and the two countries ratified a mutual defense treaty in November.

The lack of workers in Russia is due to heavy losses in the country's war against Ukraine, low birth rates, and the fleeing of citizens abroad, the WSJ reported, citing Western estimates.

By 2030, the country's labor shortage could reach 2.4 million people, compared to the current 1.5 million, according to the Russian Labor Ministry.

To compensate, Russia has begun to attract workers from the allied country, who are now mostly working in the Far East. In the meantime, the Russian authorities hope that North Korean workers will soon appear in large cities in other regions.

Russian employers value North Korean workers because they are willing to work 12 hours for low wages and do not complain about working conditions, according to the media.

Many North Korean workers came to Russia on student visas. In 2024, North Korean nationals crossed the Russian border 7,887 times, allegedly to study, the Russian independent outlet Mediazona reported on Feb. 4, citing the Border Services of the Russian Federal Security Service. This is the largest number since 2019.

The number of students from North Korea began to grow in the third quarter of 2024, according to Mediazona. Meanwhile, in April 2024, the Russian Education Ministry reported that nearly 130 students from North Korea were studying in the country at that time.

Apart from workers, North Korea sends its military and weapons to Russia. In 2024, 12,000 North Korean troops arrived in Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine, and in 2025, another 3,000 arrived, according to South Korean intelligence.

Around 600 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces, South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said on April 30, citing briefings from the country's National Intelligence Service.

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More than three years since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s defense industry has adapted to a new normal. Despite a web of international sanctions designed to cripple military production, factories across the country have been able to keep building bullets and shells, drones and military vehicles.

The Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies