N. Korea could bolster drone capabilities through workers at Russian factory: report

North Korea could strengthen its military drone capabilities through workers deployed to Russia’s Alabuga drone production complex, potentially creating a new security challenge for South Korea, Japan and U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific. A CSIS and George W. Bush Institute report examined Pyongyang’s involvement in Russia’s drone manufacturing industry. Ukrainian military intelligence estimated that up to 12,000 North Korean workers had been assigned to Alabuga.

Russia hosted an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 North Korean workers as of the end of 2025, according to the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team.

The report said Moscow used a student visa scheme to disguise some North Korean workers as students.

The Geran is a Russian-produced, Iranian-designed attack drone widely used by Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

North Korea’s regime withholds 70 to 90 percent of its overseas workers’ wages, the report said.

Each North Korean worker in Russia generates an estimated average of US$7,500 in annual wages, with monthly earnings potentially reaching five times those of North Korean workers in China depending on the industry.

Published Oct 15, 2026 3:12 am KST

Updated Oct 15, 2026 7:48 am KST

Flags of North Korea, left, and Russia fly during a visit of Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the Vostochny cosmodrome, outside the town of Tsiolkovsky (former Uglegorsk), some 180 km north of Blagoveschensk in Amur region, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023. EPA-Yonhap

North Korea could strengthen its military drone capabilities by gaining technical expertise through workers deployed to a major Russian drone production facility, potentially posing a new security threat to South Korea and U.S. forces in the region, a U.S. think tank report showed Wednesday.

The report, jointly published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the George W. Bush Institute, examined the security implications of North Korea's involvement in Russia's drone manufacturing industry, as well as the roles of China and Iran in supporting Moscow's war against Ukraine.

According to a separate report issued by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) in September, Russia hosted an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 North Korean workers as of the end of 2025, some of whom were involved in manufacturing military drones. The report also said Moscow had established a student visa scheme to disguise North Korean workers as students.

"North Korean labor also transfers technical know-how. Technicians sent to Alabuga will return to Pyongyang with invaluable lessons from working at a mass-production drone assembly line, having observed Russian refinements to the constantly improving Geran drones," the report said, referring to Russia's Alabuga drone production complex.

"A North Korea with a more sophisticated and growing drone program poses a new order of military challenge for South Korea, Japan, and U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific," it added.

The report, authored by Victor Cha, Korea Chair at CSIS, and Joseph Kim, program manager at the Bush Institute, cited Ukrainian military intelligence estimates that up to 12,000 North Korean workers had been assigned to the Alabuga complex.

It also highlighted the financial benefits Pyongyang derives from its overseas labor operations, noting that the regime withholds 70 to 90 percent of workers' wages.

"Wages earned by North Korean workers ultimately flow back to Pyongyang and the same regime that compels the labor," it said.

According to the MSMT, each North Korean worker in Russia generates an estimated average of US$7,500 in annual wages, with monthly earnings potentially reaching up to five times those of North Korean workers in China, depending on the industry.

朝鲜可能通过向俄罗斯阿拉布加无人机生产基地派遣工人来增强其军事无人机能力，这可能对韩国、日本和美国在印太地区的安全构成新的挑战。战略与国际研究中心（CSIS）和乔治·W·布什研究所的一份报告调查了平壤参与俄罗斯无人机制造业的情况。乌克兰军事情报部门估计，多达12000名朝鲜工人被派往阿拉布加。

据多边制裁监测小组估计，截至 2025 年底，俄罗斯境内约有 15,000 至 30,000 名朝鲜工人。

报告称，莫斯科利用学生签证计划将一些朝鲜工人伪装成学生。

Geran 是一款俄罗斯制造、伊朗设计的攻击无人机，莫斯科在对乌克兰的战争中广泛使用它。

报告称，朝鲜政权扣留其海外劳工70%至90%的工资。

据估计，在俄罗斯工作的朝鲜工人平均每年可创造 7500 美元的工资，而根据行业不同，其月收入可能达到在中国工作的朝鲜工人的五倍。

发布于2026年10月15日凌晨3:12（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月15日 上午7:48（韩国标准时间）

2023年9月13日，俄罗斯总统普京和朝鲜领导人金正恩访问位于俄罗斯阿穆尔州布拉戈维申斯克以北约180公里处的齐奥尔科夫斯基（原乌格列戈尔斯克）镇外的东方航天发射场。朝鲜国旗（左）和俄罗斯国旗在发射场迎风飘扬。（图片来源：EPA-Yonhap）

美国一家智库周三发布的报告显示，朝鲜可以通过向俄罗斯一家大型无人机生产设施派遣工人来获得技术专长，从而加强其军事无人机能力，这可能对韩国和美国在该地区的安全构成新的威胁。

该报告由战略与国际研究中心 (CSIS) 和乔治·W·布什研究所联合发布，探讨了朝鲜参与俄罗斯无人机制造行业所带来的安全影响，以及中国和伊朗在支持莫斯科对乌克兰的战争中所扮演的角色。

根据多边制裁监督小组（MSMT）9月份发布的另一份报告，截至2025年底，俄罗斯估计有1.5万至3万名朝鲜工人，其中一些人参与了军用无人机的制造。该报告还指出，莫斯科设立了学生签证制度，将朝鲜工人伪装成学生。

报告称：“朝鲜劳工还会转移技术诀窍。被派往阿拉布加的技术人员将带着在大规模无人机装配线上工作的宝贵经验返回平壤，他们观察了俄罗斯不断改进的格朗无人机。”报告指的是俄罗斯的阿拉布加无人机生产基地。

报告还指出，“朝鲜拥有更先进、不断发展的无人机计划，这对韩国、日本和美国在印太地区的军事力量构成了新的挑战。”

该报告由战略与国际研究中心韩国事务主席 Victor Cha 和布什研究所项目经理 Joseph Kim 撰写，报告援引乌克兰军事情报部门的估计称，多达 12,000 名朝鲜工人被派往阿拉布加综合设施。

报告还强调了平壤从其海外劳务业务中获得的经济利益，并指出该政权扣留了工人工资的 70% 至 90%。

报告称：“朝鲜工人挣的工资最终会流回平壤，流回强迫他们劳动的政权手中。”

据朝鲜劳动、贸易和培训部 (MSMT) 称，在俄罗斯工作的朝鲜工人平均年收入约为 7500 美元，月收入可能高达在华朝鲜工人的五倍，具体取决于行业。