Record number of North Koreans arriving in Russia for ‘studies’ coincides with reports of North Korean troops being sent to the country
More than 3,700 North Korean nationals entered Russia in the third quarter of 2024, citing “studies” as the purpose of their visit, according to data from the FSB Border Service, highlighted by Mediazona. From July to September alone, 3,765 North Koreans arrived for “educational purposes” — a record number, Mediazona notes.
The surge in North Korean arrivals coincides with reports, first emerging in October, of North Korean military personnel being sent to Russia to help with the war against Ukraine.
The official number of North Korean students in Russia remains low, reports Mediazona. According to Russian authorities, as of April 2024, around 130 North Korean students were studying in the country. At the time, Valery Falkov, Russia’s minister of science and higher education, said that more than 100 applications from North Korea had been submitted for the next academic year at Russian universities.
Neither North Korea nor Russia has directly confirmed plans for North Korean troops to engage in combat. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow has “never doubted” North Korea’s leadership “takes its agreements with Russia seriously.”
At the end of October, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that around 8,000 North Korean soldiers were already stationed in Russia’s Kursk region. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian forces have already had their first combat encounter with North Korean troops in the Kursk region.
