North Korea is considering sending about 25,000 workers to a drone production factory in Russia, NHK reported on the 19th. The report cited diplomatic sources from Russia and the West.
The area where worker dispatch is being promoted is a drone production facility in the Alabuga special economic zone located about 800 kilometers east of Moscow in the Republic of Tatarstan. It is reported that North Korean personnel will support the assembly of drones at the facility while simultaneously acquiring piloting skills.
NHK noted that "with the prolonged Ukraine war accelerating drone production in Russia and North Korea seeking to strengthen its military power, their interests are aligning and cooperation is deepening."
Cooperation between North Korea and Russia was formalized when Chairman Kim Jong Un and President Vladimir Putin signed a 'comprehensive strategic partnership treaty' on June 19 last year. At that time, the two countries signed a comprehensive agreement institutionalizing military and economic cooperation between them.