Russia Issued 36,400 Visas to North Korean Citizens in 2025

In 2025, Russian authorities issued a staggering 36,400 visas to citizens of North Korea. This figure is particularly alarming as it represents a near quadrupling of the visas issued in 2024, which totaled only 9,239. This information was disclosed in a publication by The Moscow Times, prompting widespread reaction from both the public and experts.

According to the data, the overwhelming majority of these visas—specifically 35,849—were issued for educational purposes. This raises serious concerns, as analysts point out that the sharp increase in 'educational' visas is linked to the importation of labor from North Korea under the guise of students undergoing 'internships' in Russia. This scheme allows for a circumvention of United Nations sanctions that prohibit the hiring of North Korean workers.

Reports from South Korean intelligence indicate that by May 2025, approximately 15,000 North Korean labor migrants were already in Russia, with a significant portion of them working in the Far East. This situation raises grave concerns regarding the working and living conditions of these individuals. Previously, the human rights organization Global Rights Compliance highlighted that North Koreans working on Russian construction sites are forced to work up to 16 hours a day with almost no days off, living in unsanitary conditions, and receiving only about $10 per month after all deductions.

A study conducted by the organization revealed that over 20 North Koreans who managed to speak with researchers reported constant surveillance from their employers and a complete lack of control over their earnings. Each month, they are required to remit $700 to their government, and any unpaid amount is carried over to the following month. This indicates a stringent control exerted by the North Korean government over its citizens.

Many North Koreans who find themselves in Russia are unaware of whom they are actually working for. They have their passports confiscated immediately upon arrival, with these documents handed over to North Korean security agents. This complicates their situation further, as their injuries and illnesses are typically ignored by their superiors. One North Korean construction worker lamented, 'We live worse than cattle,' underscoring the horrific conditions they are forced to endure.

North Korea, one of the poorest countries in the world, sends its citizens abroad under a state labor program to 40 countries, generating approximately $500 million annually for Pyongyang. Meanwhile, it has been reported that Russia is negotiating with Afghanistan to attract labor migrants from that country and has also begun recruiting workers from Myanmar, which is similarly regarded as one of the poorest nations.