1,000 North Korean Sappers to Demine the Kursk Region
Sergei Shoigu (L) and King Jong-Un (R), June 17, 2025. X/ @MMustafa2025
June 17, 2025 Hour: 8:25 am
Kim Jong-Un also agreed to send 5,000 military workers to assist in rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by Ukrainian forces.
On Tuesday, Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, announced that North Korea will dispatch 1,000 sappers to help demine the Kursk region, which was partially occupied by Ukrainian troops for several months.
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During a meeting with Shoigu in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un also agreed to send 5,000 military workers to assist in rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by Ukrainian forces.
This marks the second time Kim has authorized the deployment of military personnel to Russian territory under the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024. This agreement includes a mutual defense clause in case of aggression, providing the legal framework for North Korean troops to operate within Russia.
According to Western sources, Pyongyang has already sent more than 10,000 soldiers to Kursk, many of whom died in combat. For this reason, Shoigu stated that Russia and North Korea have agreed to jointly construct a memorial and museum to honor the fallen North Korean soldiers in Kursk.
Shoigu emphasized that the Strategic Partnership Agreement has given a “powerful boost” to bilateral relations, necessitating “constant adjustments” in its implementation. This explains why Shoigu has visited Pyongyang twice in less than two weeks.
Observers in Seoul believe these visits could precede another summit between Putin and Kim, possibly coinciding with the Kremlin leader’s trip to China in September to commemorate the 1945 victory over Japan.
During their latest meeting on June 4, Kim pledged “unconditional support” for Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine and reaffirmed his commitment to mutual military assistance in case of aggression.
Separately, Shoigu announced that rail service between Russia and North Korea, suspended since 2020, will resume this month. Air travel, inactive for over 30 years, will also be restored.
Amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, North Korea has become Russia’s primary supplier of weapons and military equipment, having already provided large quantities of ammunition and missiles to the Russian army.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
