North Korea is reportedly considering sending 25,000 workers to a drone manufacturing facility in Russia in exchange for training in drone operation, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

The move underscores deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. In June 2023, the two countries signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, pledging mutual military assistance in the event of unforeseen threats. Soon after, North Korea began deploying troops to Russia.

According to UK intelligence, around 11,000 North Korean troops—mainly combat engineers and infantry—have been sent to Russia’s Kursk Oblast to support defensive operations near the Ukrainian border. Over 6,000 of them have reportedly been killed, wounded, or gone missing in heavy frontline fighting. The deployment, approved by Kim Jong Un and acknowledged by Russian officials, highlights a growing exchange of manpower for weapons and military training.

NHK reports that the civilian workers under discussion would be sent to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, home to key drone production facilities.

The initiative appears designed to help Russia scale up drone output amid its ongoing war in Ukraine, while enabling North Korea to gain advanced UAV expertise and bolster its own military capabilities.