SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥� North Korea will send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to support reconstruction work in Russia鈥檚 Kursk region, Russian media reported, another sign of expanding military partnership between the two nations.
Russian state news agency RIA Novosti cited top Russian security official Sergei Shoigu as saying that North Korea will dispatch 1,000 deminers as well 5,000 military construction workers to the Kursk region.
RIA Novosti said Shoigu made the comments during a visit to Pyongyang for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
North Korea has already sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine. Washington and Seoul have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military.
During a visit to Pyongyang earlier this month, Shoigu and Kim Jong Un had discussed rebuilding the Kursk region, according to Russian state media.
Russia鈥檚 Tass news agency earlier reported Shoigu arrived in the North Korean capital on Tuesday on an unspecified 鈥渟pecial鈥� mission from Putin and was expected to meet with Kim. North Korean state media didn鈥檛 immediately confirm the visit.
In April, Pyongyang and Moscow officially to Russia for the first time, saying that soldiers of the two countries were fighting alongside each other to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia鈥檚 Putin thanked North Korea at that time for its participation in the war and promised not to forget their sacrifices.
The Associated Press
