In 2024, more than 7.8 thousand North Koreans entered the Russian Federation, citing "study" as their purpose. This is evidenced by data from the FSB Border Service, which was noted by "Important Stories"*. Of these, 3.7 thousand North Korean citizens who decided to "study" in Russia entered only in the fourth quarter of last year. For comparison, in the entire pre-COVID year of 2019, there were only 3.2 thousand students.
In 2024, it became known about the dispatch of soldiers from the DPRK to participate in the Russian Federation's war with Ukraine. According to estimates by South Korean intelligence and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, about 12 thousand North Korean military personnel were transferred to Russia.
Meanwhile, the number of quotas for North Korean students in Russia in recent years remains low. As noted by "Mediazona"**, in April 2024, the Ministry of Education reported that about 130 students from the DPRK are studying in Russia. "For the upcoming academic year, more than 100 applications for student education in Russian universities have been received from the Korean side," said the head of the Ministry of Education and Science, Valery Falkov.
* Recognized in Russia as a "foreign agent" and "undesirable" organization.
** Recognized in Russia as a "foreign agent".