North Korea Plans Send 6,000 Military Builders Deminers Kursk Russia

North Korea has agreed to send a total of 6,000 military personnel to Russia's Kursk region, comprising 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers tasked with demining and infrastructure restoration. This deployment follows negotiations between Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, marking a deepening of military and strategic cooperation between the two nations amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Shoigu's visits to Pyongyang, including two in June 2025, were part of fulfilling agreements linked to a mutual defense treaty signed last year, which had already seen North Korea supply troops, artillery ammunition, and ballistic missiles to Russia. Russia plans to honor North Korean soldiers who have participated in combat operations through memorials in both countries. The buildup to the treaty's first anniversary has sparked speculation about a potential summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, although no immediate visit has been reported. North Korea's continued military support and deployment to Russia underscore the intensifying alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang in their shared geopolitical aims.