According to Daily NK, North Korea has dispatched workers to the Russian-controlled Donbas region in eastern Ukraine to assist with reconstruction efforts. In the Donbas region, Russia has established and annexed the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, which are only recognized by a handful of governments including North Korea and Syria.
An anonymous source from North Korea revealed to Daily NK that approximately 150 new North Korean workers were sent to Donbas in January.
The workers traveled to Donbas through different routes, with some flying from Pyongyang to Vladivostok and then to Donbas via Moscow, while others traveled from Vladivostok to Volgograd before reaching Donbas. They were assigned to different workplaces under North Korea’s External Construction Guidance Bureau and Ministry of Social Security.
The North Korean workers are currently involved in rebuilding various structures in Donbas such as houses, schools, and shopping centers. Meanwhile, Russian workers focus on technical projects like bridges and communication facilities. Plans to send workers to Donbas were made by North Korean authorities in 2022 and workers were selected accordingly.
North Korea initially hesitated to send workers to conflict zones but agreed to assist in Donbas after Russia’s advancements in the region. The decision was influenced by talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a summit in September 2023.
North Korea has also provided workers with educational materials highlighting Russia’s success in the war with Ukraine and promoting socialist ideals. Additionally, North Korean youth are receiving training on anti-American and anti-imperialist ideologies.
According to a source in Russia, North Korean workers in Donbas will receive hazard pay on top of their regular wages. The workers in Donetsk will have a lower cut taken by the North Korean government compared to those working elsewhere in Russia.
This information was originally published in Daily NK and has not been independently verified by The Diplomat.