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North Korea Makes Russian a Mandatory School Subject From Fourth Grade
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The Russian language has become a compulsory subject in schools in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from the fourth grade, following a decision disclosed by Russia’s Natural Resources Minister, Alexander Kozlov, at a meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission in Moscow, according to RIA on November 27.
Kozlov, who chairs the commission from the Russian side, said he “knows that Russian has been introduced in DPRK schools as a mandatory language for study from the fourth grade.”
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He added that in Russia, more than 3,000 schoolchildren are currently studying Korean, in most cases as a second or third foreign language, while around 300 university students have chosen Korean as their field of study. According to Kozlov, North Korea has about 600 specialists in the Russian language.
He said the two countries are also cooperating in the organization of additional professional education in specific sectors, with training programs involving bankers, energy specialists, medical personnel and geologists.
Kozlov noted that during the 2024–2025 academic year, 96 North Korean citizens enrolled at Russian universities, mainly at Far Eastern Federal University, MGIMO University and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. He added that these exchanges complement broader linguistic and educational ties between Russia and North Korea.
Earlier, Russia expanded university‑level education cooperation by offering free or state‑funded degrees to foreign students from countries such as North Korea, Afghanistan, and several African nations, a move that has raised concerns among analysts about its potential use for strategic influence or covert recruitment.
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