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North Korean workers deployed to Russian drone factories
A report by the Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) reveals that North Korea is increasingly deploying laborers to Russia to support military production, specifically in drone manufacturing. Between 15,000 and 30,000 North Korean workers are estimated to be in Russia, with many stationed at the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan to produce military drones used in the conflict in Ukraine.
To bypass international sanctions, Russia has reportedly implemented a scheme using student visas to mask these workers. In 2025, over 98% of North Korean visas issued by Russia were student visas, despite no official work visas being issued to North Korean nationals since 2020.
Globally, the MSMT estimates that up to 101,280 North Korean workers are deployed across at least 17 countries, with significant numbers in China (up to 70,000) and Russia. These overseas labor programs generated an estimated $450 million to $800 million in revenue last year, which the MSMT asserts is used to fund North Korea’s illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Entities
Alabuga Special Economic Zone · China · Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team · North Korea · Russia · United Nations
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Between 20,000 and 70,000 North Korean laborers are working in China. news.az · www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Up to 101,280 North Korean workers are deployed in at least 17 countries. www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] North Korean overseas labor generated up to $800 million in revenue last year. www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Between 15,000 and 30,000 North Korean workers are employed in Russia. 24-ore.com · www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] North Korean workers are being used in Russia to produce military drones. 24-ore.com · news.az · www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The revenue helps fund North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. news.az · www.voakorea.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Workers are deployed to the Alabuga special economic zone in Tatarstan. 24-ore.com · news.az · www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Russia uses student visas to mask North Korean workers. 24-ore.com · www.seoul.co.kr · www.voakorea.com