Reports Indicate Russia Recruiting Up to 25,000 North Koreans for Drone Manufacturing

New data indicates that Russia is actively recruiting North Korean citizens for employment in drone assembly facilities within Russian territory. According to reports, the scale of this recruitment drive could involve as many as 25,000 workers from Pyongyang.

This development highlights the deepening collaboration between Moscow and North Korea since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The influx of North Korean labor appears to be part of a broader effort to bolster Russia’s defense industrial base, specifically targeting the mass production of unmanned aerial vehicles used on the Ukrainian front.

Analysts suggest that the arrangement benefits both parties: North Korea addresses domestic labor shortages and generates foreign currency, while Russia gains a workforce to sustain its weapon manufacturing output under sanctions.