North Korea still deploys up to 100,000 workers abroad, some building Russian drones
A new MSMT report finds roughly 100,000 North Korean laborers working overseas, mainly in China and Russia, with a share involved in Russian drone production despite UN repatriation deadlines.
According to the latest Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team assessment, North Korea continues to send roughly 100,000 citizens to work abroad, predominantly in China and Russia, despite a 2019 UN mandate to repatriate such laborers. The team estimates 35,600-101,280 workers remain overseas, earning between $450 million and $800 million in 2025, most of which is confiscated by Pyongyang. Russia is believed to host 15,000-30,000 workers, some engaged in the production of military drones at Russian factories, while China accommodates 20,000-70,000 laborers.
The report notes that at least 17 nations appear to be violating UNSCR 2397 by retaining these workers, and calls for the UN Security Council to restore the disbanded Panel of Experts. It also highlights strict controls on workers’ movements and the risk of reprisals against families of defectors. The MSMT pledges ongoing monitoring of sanction compliance and exposure of further evasion attempts.
Why it matters
The continued overseas labor force fuels North Korea's prohibited weapons programs and shows gaps in UN sanctions enforcement.
How this story developed
- Sep 8 Xi and Putin send congratulatory letters to Kim, pledging deeper ties on North Korea's anniversary
- Sep 10 President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message pledging deeper ties with North Korea.
- Sep 11 President Lee Jae-myung announced that the Korea-Central Asia summit on the 16th will solidify multilateral cooperation and give new momentum to South Korea’s New Northern Policy.
- Sep 11 North Korea launched an unidentified projectile toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korean defence officials.
- Sep 12 South Korea held an emergency security meeting in response to the missile launch.
- Sep 13 North Korea staged a firepower strike drill featuring missiles and drones.
- Sep 15 EU official Cosmin Dobran warned the North Korea‑Russia partnership will likely outlast the Ukraine war.
- Sep 16 The Seoul Declaration formalizes a 30‑year agenda linking Central Asian mineral resources with South Korean AI and energy projects.
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