Russia has been suffering from significant labor shortages in its civilian and defense industrial sectors since the start of its war with Ukraine. North Korean has sent several thousand workers to work in civilian sectors, but it is marginal and will not significantly alleviate Russia’s labor shortages. Russia reportedly has an estimated labor shortage of 1.5 million workers as of December 2024. We can expect many thousand more North Koreans to arrive and work in Russia.
In October last year, the NIS had said in a briefing that about 4,000 North Korean workers were already believed to be in Russia, with each worker being paid a monthly stipend of approximately $800.
Russia may be recruiting North Korean workers to fill gaps in the construction industry created by its prolonged aggression against Ukraine, according to Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Wi Sung-lac, who was Seoul’s ambassador to Russia.
“I think North Korean workers may have been recruited to make up for the labor shortages after many were drafted for the war,” Wi told The Korea Herald on Sunday.