Russia grows closer to North Korea amid international isolation

Moscow floats idea of using workers provided by Pyongyang to rebuild Donbas

North Korea and Russia have grown closer since the onset of the Ukraine war. Moscow has raised the possibility of having North Koreans work to help build the devastated Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. (Source photos by KCNA/Reuters, Reuters and AFP/Jiji)

GABRIELA BERNAL, Contributing writer

August 3, 2022 14:00 JST

SEOUL -- The international isolation of Russia is pushing the country closer to Pyongyang, raising the prospect that North Korean workers could be employed to rebuild war-torn regions of Russian-occupied Ukraine.

In April an article posted by North Korean media voiced backing for Moscow's invasion. "We are sending our full support and showing solidarity to the justified struggle of the Russian people to protect the autonomy and security of the country and to defend national interests," it stated.