Russia and North Korea quietly expand military recruitment ties — ISW

This comes from a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Analysts believe Russia is working to increase the number of North Korean labor migrants, likely to boost the workforce and potentially have them join the Russian military directly.

ISW recalled a statement by the head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, who said that Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, during his recent visit to North Korea, agreed to work on bringing more North Korean migrants to Russia.

In an interview with The War Zone on June 7, Budanov noted that it’s highly likely some of these “labor migrants” will begin signing contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to ISW analysts, such an agreement violates a UN resolution signed by Russia, which bans North Korea from sending workers abroad and requires all UN member states to expel North Koreans earning income overseas.

The Institute also reminded that in March 2024, Russia vetoed the annual UN Security Council resolution that extended the mandate of the panel monitoring UN sanctions on North Korea.

In February 2025, ISW assessed that Russia is creating openings for North Korean migrants to enter Russia and join the labor force or the armed forces.

Russia and North Korea have openly expanded defense cooperation through mutual defense treaties, transfers of military tech and equipment, and even deployment of North Korean troops alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region, ISW stated.

• In early June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during a meeting in Pyongyang with Russian Security Council Secretary Shoigu, said the DPRK would continue to support Russia in the war against Ukraine.