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North Korean Entries to Russia Surge to 36,413 in 2025, Student and Business Visas Spike
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Russia issued a total of 36,413 visas to citizens of North Korea in 2025, nearly four times the number of visas granted in 2024 (9,239), according to Russian media outlet Vedomosti on April 2.
The vast majority of these visas, 35,849, were for educational purposes, marking an increase of more than four times compared to the 8,616 student visas issued in 2024.
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In addition to the educational visas, Russia granted 266 humanitarian visas, 72 tourist visas, 47 business visas, 6 private visas, and 33 official visas to North Korean citizens. This represents a significant increase in several categories compared to the previous year, when only 307 humanitarian visas, 6 tourist visas, 3 business visas, and 68 official visas were issued.
Furthermore, the data reveals that North Korean citizens entered Russia for business and work purposes in growing numbers. In 2023, approximately 580 North Korean nationals entered Russia for business purposes, while in 2024, that number rose to over 3,000. The number of work-related entries also grew, from just five in 2023 to 15 in 2024.
As Russia’s cooperation with North Korea deepens, particularly in the context of military production, the country has also launched a large-scale recruitment campaign targeting young workers. This initiative is focused on filling labor shortages at the “Alabuga” Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, which plays a pivotal role in the production of Iranian-designed Shahed-136 attack drones.
According to promotional materials released by the Alabuga Polytech College, the facility is now seeking teenagers as young as 14 to work in military production. The college’s advertisements promise high starting salaries to attract underage workers into the workforce, offering wages starting at $1,070, which rise to $1,600 by the second year and up to $3,740 by the third year of employment.
At the same time, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, around 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently stationed in Russia, where they are gaining firsthand experience in modern warfare.
Zelenskyy expressed concerns about the broader security implications of North Korean military personnel being present on Russian soil. He warned that their involvement in modern hybrid warfare tactics poses significant risks not only to Ukraine but to international security.
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