North Korea Sends 6,000 Military Workers to Aid Kursk Reconstruction

North Korea has pledged to send 1,000 combat engineers and 5,000 military construction workers to assist Russia in rebuilding the Kursk region following a Ukrainian incursion, according to Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu. This support includes demining operations and rebuilding infrastructure damaged during the conflict, with efforts set to begin soon. Shoigu made the announcement during his visit to Pyongyang, where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, emphasizing the deepening military and strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea. The collaboration follows a comprehensive military agreement signed last year, and Moscow hopes to resume direct flights and rail links with Pyongyang to facilitate cooperation. The United States and South Korea have expressed concerns that in exchange for this support, North Korea may seek Russian technology transfers to enhance its nuclear capabilities. Russia intends to honor North Korean soldiers who died during the liberation of Kursk with memorials, underscoring the close ties between the two countries amid ongoing tensions related to the Ukraine conflict.