Moscow: A North Korean delegation, led by Public Security Minister Pang Tu-sop, has embarked on a visit to Russia, as reported by North Korea’s state media on Tuesday. This visit comes amidst increasing cooperation between the two nations.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Pang Tu-sop departed from Pyongyang the previous day. While the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not specify the purpose of the visit, it is believed to focus on discussing the status of North Korean laborers currently working in Russia or those expected to be sent.

This visit follows nearly three months after the deputy chief of North Korea’s public security ministry engaged in vice ministerial talks with a counterpart from Russia’s interior ministry in Pyongyang. These discussions aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

North Korea’s export of laborers falls under United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions related to its nuclear and missile programs. In compliance with U.N. sanctions, Russia had previously repatriated North Korean workers but halted this process due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the reopening of North Korea’s borders in 2023 after prolonged closures due to the pandemic, Russia is reportedly accommodating North Korean workers to address labor shortages intensified by the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.