North Korea Mandates Russian Language Education,Amid Deepening Ties with Moscow
MOSCOW – North Korea has introduced compulsory Russian language education beginning in the fourth grade,a move signaling the strengthening relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow,according to statements made Thursday at a meeting of the intergovernmental commission in Moscow. The decision comes as both nations navigate increased international isolation and bolster military and economic cooperation.
Currently, over 3,000 schoolchildren in Russia are studying the Korean language, typically as a second or third foreign language. Despite this, Russian remains traditionally popular in North Korea, ranking among the top three foreign languages studied there, with approximately 600 North Koreans currently learning it – a figure representing a small fraction of the contry’s 26.3 million population. This renewed focus on Russian education in North Korea reflects a broader trend of deepening collaboration following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In the last academic year, 96 north Korean students enrolled in russian universities, primarily at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok and MGIMO in Moscow, a leading institution for diplomatic training. The growing partnership has seen Russia provide food and material aid to North Korea, while Pyongyang has reportedly supplied weapons and soldiers to Russia, with Western estimates suggesting around 15,000 North Korean laborers have been sent to Russia, and approximately 2,000 have died. Reports have also indicated challenges in coordinating North Korean and Russian military units due to language barriers.
