North Korea to Send 1,000 Sappers to Demine Russia's Kursk Region

North Korea will deploy 1,000 military sappers to Russia’s Kursk region to assist with demining operations, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu announced following a visit to Pyongyang on June 17.

Shoigu said the decision was made during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Alongside the sappers, North Korea will also send 5,000 military builders to aid in reconstruction work in the border region, which has been impacted by Ukrainian cross-border operations and Russian counteroffensives.

“The Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong Un made a decision to send one thousand sappers to Russia to clear mines from Russian territory, as well as five thousand military builders to restore destroyed infrastructure,” Shoigu stated in remarks released by the Russian Security Council.

The assistance is part of broader military cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed between the two countries in Pyongyang in June 2024 and ratified in November. Shoigu emphasized the long-term commitment to Kursk’s restoration and acknowledged the contribution of North Korean forces in ongoing military efforts.

“An agreement was reached to continue cooperation and provide assistance by the Korean side in the restoration of the Kursk region,” he said.

Russia has previously acknowledged that North Korean forces took part in combat operations in the Kursk region during last year’s fighting. According to the British Defence Ministry, over 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded during operations in the area since 2024. These troops were reportedly part of a larger deployment of more than 11,000 North Korean personnel who supported Russian military actions.

Shoigu also noted that discussions in Pyongyang included plans to create memorial complexes in both countries honoring North Korean soldiers who died during operations in Kursk. One such memorial, potentially including a museum, may be established in Pyongyang with Russian participation.

Meanwhile, the announcement comes amid intensified Russian aerial assaults on Ukraine, including the use of North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles. A strike on Kyiv this week killed more than 15 people, including a U.S. citizen, and injured more than 150 others.

The United States, under President Donald Trump, declined to join fresh sanctions against Russia, citing cost concerns. Trump left the G7 summit early without meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, prompting frustration among European allies.

Despite mounting international criticism, Russia and North Korea continue to deepen their military ties. Reports from a United Nations-affiliated watchdog, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, say the two nations have engaged in unlawful military cooperation, including arms transfers and the deployment of North Korean combat troops to Russia.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently described his country's support for Russia’s war effort as a "sacred mission."