North Korea has introduced Russian as a compulsory subject in schools from the 4th grade. This was reported by Politico, informs UNN.
Details
According to Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission of the Russian Federation and North Korea, currently about 600 people in North Korea are studying Russian, making it one of the three most popular languages in the country.
As the official said, 3,000 schoolchildren and 300 university students are studying Korean in Russia, with 96 North Korean citizens admitted to Russian universities last year. Another 29 people were enrolled in geology courses in Russia this year.
The two countries cooperate in education in sectors such as banking, energy, medicine, and geology. ... Russia is building a center in North Korea that will offer Russian-language education at Kim Chol Ju University
The authors point out that Russia's traditionally close ties with North Korea have strengthened after the former's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Thus, the DPRK supplies weapons to Russia and sends troops to fight on the front lines and clear mines in the Kursk region.
In August 2025, Russian tourists flocked to North Korean resorts as Russian airlines launched direct flights to Pyongyang.
Recall
According to Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, this year North Korea more than halved its supply of shells to Russia, while mostly transferring outdated ammunition due to the depletion of its own reserves.