North Korea News Podcast by NK News - Russian firms in Pyongyang, North Koreans in Kursk and a prize for Kim Jong Un

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

This week, NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin joins the podcast to discuss Russian participation in North Korea’s fall trade fair and the latest in the two sides’ military cooperation over the war in Ukraine. He talks about how over a dozen Russian commercial firms hawked their electronics and foods in Pyongyang last month, as […]

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Each design is a conversation starter. Find yours at shop.m.nknews.org. Again, that's shop.m.knews.org. Hello, listeners, and welcome to the NK News podcast. I'm your host, Jacko's Wetsuit, and it is Tuesday, the 18th of November 2025. Here in Seoul, we already have sub-zero temperatures, so winter is definitely on the way. And I'm joined here in the studio by Anton Sokol. And Anton, welcome back on the show.

Hey, Joko. How are you? I'm fantastic. Thank you. We have so many stories to go through. I want to start with one that's already a week old. In fact, it's almost two weeks old. But it's one that I think it's a good and important and interesting story. It comes out once a year, and that's the autumn Pyongyang International Trade Fair. It happened early in November. A lot of companies in the past that were there weren't there, but who was there this time?

All right, yeah. So indeed, this trade fair happens once a year. but it has also its Sprint Edition. We should not forget about that. This one ran actually from October 27 to October 3rd 1st. Well, we can say late October. Ah, Ipeg week. Oh, right.

Yeah. And, well, this one was a little bit different from the previous ones because, as you recall, the Spring Edition, they actually didn't allow any foreign exhibitors to enter the event. Sighting health reasons? I don't remember exactly what happened, but there was. were definitely some restrictions, but what's important here is that actually some products, some foreign products were displayed during the Spring Edition, just bakery and stuff of those companies or diplomatic stuff.

So the diplomats participated, but now getting back to the fall edition. So this one is a bit different because if you compare it with the one that happened last year, actually this one was smaller in size in terms of the number of participants. So if, for example, last year, just one Russian region, the Primorsky Krai, the one that's border in North Korea, sent several dozen exhibitors, this time the number of participants shrunk significantly, and it was actually just about, like, I want to say, just less than 10, but maybe around 12, because we didn't have, we didn't get the full list of participants. No one has published it, of course, and all we know, it's just from sporadic reports coming on. out from government sources or government-affiliated export promotion centers, those that organize these mission trips. Did you see any video footage from the trade fair? Yes, there was some limited video footage because the KCNA, for example, air something.

So there was actually, we could get a few sneak peeks into what was happening. Imagine if you're walking through, I mean, I'm guessing it's not military stuff. So what kind of things are you seeing? It's consumer products, it's mostly consumer products, and the Russian companies that came from Primorsky cry this time. It was just like, what, seven companies, maybe a bit more. I don't know the exact number. It's a bit hard to ascertain that. But the fact remains, they mostly are from the consumer sector.

They were offering grain, you know, cookies, some confectionery. So it's mostly something. So some food items. Some food items, that's something that actually could find some appeal among North Koreans because, well, food concerns have been persistent for many years now. They appear to be gone, but nevertheless, the more choice, the better, right? And Primurski Cry this time was not the only region that actually presented its good. There were other exhibitors from, oh, yeah, the one I forgot from Primarsky, Ryan, notable one.

It's the producer of sausages, Retimir. It's a really big brand in the Far East, like I'm from the Far East, so I know growing up, I ate the sausages, yeah, the sausages, all kinds of meat products, basically, and sausages are one type, and they exhibited there, they said, according to them, according to them. Their stall was absolutely popular among North Koreans and everyone just flogged. I don't know, maybe, maybe, maybe that's how you usually, but that's how you usually promote you. You're not bringing your sausages to, just to look at it. Foreign, yeah, and then you just leave them there or bring them home, but they go bad. I don't know how it works. Any electronics goods?

I saw some electronics, so like, but I don't think it was by the Russians. It's probably the Chinese companies because there was quite a fair share of Chinese companies and other foreign companies. What was interesting is that these Russian companies from Primarsky Krai, in the press release of their regional expert promotion center, they mentioned that they, had B2B business to business meetings with other clients. Among those were actually some representatives of the Swiss pharmaceutical sector. And we still haven't learned what that Swiss pharmaceutical pharma company was presented there. So it's still a mystery. But the fact remains that it seems like there was some for, I would say, European presence.

Interesting. Yeah. Apart from the Europeans, there were also Mongolians. We have seen a stall, a booth operated by a Mongolian company. I couldn't figure out exactly what the products was, but most likely it was wool, something related to garments. And the other one was from Thailand. This is an obscure company, so it looks like they are offering some consumer products,

like maybe some milk, some teas and stuff. So, yeah, groceries. But it's very hard to find this. companies profile in the internet and probably they don't have much online presence. So it was a bit complicated. The other Russian region was from, yes, from Siberia, just as I mentioned before, those were actually a bit more interesting because some of them are in the electronics business. So there was this one company called Micron.

It produces electronic equipment. So they provide equipment and devices for telecommunication services, different kinds of mobile gear, radar systems. So that could be relevant to the military. Very relevant. And of course there was this Tomsk tool factory. I am not sure. I never heard of them before, but as far as I understand, metal cutting tools.

That's what they do. So it's like drills, I know all those kind of razors. That's kind of their thing. And apart from them, we also saw this Tombsk special economic zone, which is interesting because it's a big cluster that hosts the other companies. companies, right? So you can enter there and get some tax breaks and et cetera and develop your business. And of course, also consumer products like we had a flour producer, we had health products manufacturer and a meal. So it's actually a poultry factory. So they're like a chicken

factory. So all those products all and all are very relevant to North Korea. And the Russian companies are pretty much right now getting access to the market that not many companies ever tapped into before. Well, that's very interesting. Let's move on. I look forward to hearing more about the spring fair when it comes up next year. Let's talk about Kim Jong-un received an award from Vladimir Putin. And it's an award that, to be honest, in the post-Soviet Russia, I was surprised to hear

still exists. All right, not from Vladimir Putin, from the Russian Communist Party. But it's okay. So, yeah, the Russian communists, right? So the Russian Communist Party, it's basically the successor to the CPSU, right? Communist Party also is a union. Still exists. Still exists.

And, well, in the 90s, I must remind our listeners, well, some, of course, we will know that. But those who are not familiar with Russian history, the leader of CPR, Gennady Zuganov, he almost actually beat Yeltsin and almost became president. And that would have put Russia on a totally different. course, right? It would be the continuation of socialism, basically. And he lost by very, very, very slim margin. So let's not forget that he was hugely popular right now. Well, ask any expert, and they'll tell you that pretty much the CPR, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, is pretty much a relic. It's outdated, it's old. They try to, of course, attract a lot of young

people but right now they are as you can as you know in russia all the opposition parties the communist party the liberal democratic party that exists too uh what the adjust to russia they are sort of like socialist party they are all on the same page with the ruling party united russia so there is no much organized opposition they are pretty much in sync with everything that united Russia says. So, and this time, that's why it became interesting that they decided to give away this Lenin Prize. Not John Lennon, but Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. There we go. Yeah, the Lenin, Vladimir Lenniv, Ulyanov. So the price itself used to be a very prestigious award during the Soviet Union in the Soviet Union, and it was issued intermittently. So in the beginning, when, before Stalin

completely took over that was like the main for outstanding achievement the main price for outstanding achievements in arts architecture i don't know science science of course so that was the price but then the Stalin took over and it became the Stalin price so they started giving out that one it was very prestigious one of the most probably the most prestigious in the civilian sector right and but when after after Nikita khrushchev the Stalin's successor came in and lambasted him and his secret speech and of course the cult of personality everything was denounced they reestablished the lenin prize and it was it was not issued annually as far as i understand it was issued to buy annually or something like that okay but why did kim jung un get one this time and now he got it

for as as the so the little listen this background is actually interesting okay and the last time the government officially awarded the lending price to anyone was in 1991 just when the Soviet Union collapsed. Wow. Right. So since then, there was no such a word. It's not a state level award. Russia does not have that.

Right. If you remember a few months ago, Steve Witkoff, right, the one who is in charge with negotiations with Russia, there was this news that he, Putin gave him the order of Lenin to give to this poor US soldier who participated in the combat on the Russian side.

Oh, boy. the order of Lenin doesn't exist. Oh, it's a made up. It used to be a big deal, but now, Russia no longer has that. And it turned out it was just the Medal of Courage, a Medal of Weller. But the foreign media talked about it. Nevertheless, getting back to the Lenin Prize. Yes.

So it's not an award, and just the Communist Party of Russia just revived it in 2017, 2018. And they started, it's like just their token of appreciation for, foreign leaders, dignitaries, someone who has contributed to the socialist cause, and with this time, Kim Jong-in is on the list, and he got it for his outstanding contributions to socialist construction and for his guts to stand up against imperialist aggression by supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So we can deduce that by sending his troops to Russia, he basically helped Russia stand up against the United West and the United imperialist aggression, because that's how the Kremlin explains the war, that it's not just

against Ukraine, the Kremlin is not waging a war against Ukrainian people. It's about the collective West. Right. And those Ukrainian Nazis? Of course, of course, Nazism that are supported by the West. That's their official line. And, well, he got this price. Of course, experts say, that it's not really about this Communist Party of Russia really appreciating Kim Jong-in that much, it's more of a thing to get eyeballs because they are being slowly forgotten, and that's the way to stay relevant.

Stay in the headlines, right? But at the same time, there is also maybe not so obvious, but some kind of advantages that it can rip because it kind of puts them in sync, ideologically in sync with North Korea because it's about mutual hatred of Nikita Khrushchev because of whom the whole revision is, started.

Right. Right. Yeah. And North Korea was anti-revisionism, right? So, and they are in favor of Stalin. So if you take a look at this, from this perspective, then it kind of makes sense. And plus, of course, this Communist Party of Russia, they recently have lots of exchanges with North Korea.

So one of their key members, Kazbek Tai Saif, he's in charge of this inter-parliamentary friendship group with North Korea. they often go to the North Korean embassy. They often go to North Korea and maintain ties. And, yeah, it's just in line with that. All right. So in our remaining couple of minutes, let's continue on with the talk about the war. I understand that North Korea has a number of people now,

first of all, working on mine sweeping and second of all, making drones in Russian factories. Yeah, that's true. There is several reports. One report is that, yeah, that's the official one, that North Korean demining specialist, they have entered the Korsk region and began their, they have begun their demining operations. Now, I hope for the sake of these North Korean soldiers that they're not doing it via the old traditional method, they're using some sort of robots or something.

For sure. So before entering the actual territory, the area, they were trained by Russian instructors at Russian training grounds to use not only just metal detectors, you know, but also to you how to for example counter incoming drones while you because that's a concern right while you're demining an area if a drone comes in it can actually ruin everything and hurt you badly which area is this in by the way is this in kuzk in part of russia where the ukrainian incursion occurred last year i don't know where the training grounds are but i mean but the demining of course in the kursk region adjacent to the border that's exactly where the incursion

where the ukrainian incursion happened and as the Russian official media and the military media explain when Ukrainian forces were retreating, they left lots of explosives, sometimes even planted, as they claim, are hidden in toys and everyday items, right? So for people, for regular residents to return back to those areas, it's necessary to demine the territory. And the North Koreans are helping with that. Of course, they use a whole variety of new equipment, something probably totally new for them. It's this remotely controlled robots, right? It's like a small bulldozer.

It's kind of like a bulldozer, right? So they just go through the field and sweep through it. And if there is an explosive, it explodes. But it doesn't hurt anyone because it's safe. You can control it from a safe distance. So they learn that. And I suppose it's a good experience because they also get all the Russian issues. protective suits.

Special boots in case of toe cutter mines. Of course, of course. Yeah, because there's so many, what we call like flower petal infantry mines. They look like tiny petals. And if you step on that, you could lose your leg up to your ankle. Wow.

So it's not going to kill you. No. But it's a lot. So, of course, that is very important. And this experience is going to be also hugely helpful for them. I haven't heard before about North Korea and deminers as a four. So as a special, North Korea specialty.

They've not been in the parades, for example. Exactly. And but turns out it's a thing. And the Russia is using them. Of course, we have a thousand of them. Yes, it's a thousand. And of course, there is a 5,000 construction workers. But it's very hard to say who is who exactly.

So I would lump them up to all together. Probably it's just. They're all military. It's all military. It's not civilians. And speaking about the North Korean contingent generally, right, we have seen a huge uptick North Korean entries, right, over the past few quarters, and then suddenly the Russian government stopped publishing this data.

So there is no longer migration data on North Korean entries into Russia. But tell us finally about these drone workers at the fact of that. But now we are seeing reports from Kiev, coming out from Kiev, saying that about 12,000 North Korean workers. That's a lot. And as far as I understand, it's not just workers, like it's actual specials, like trained specialists, who will be sent to Russia, to Russia's region called Tatarstan. It's where the Alabuga Economic Zone is, and that is home to this huge Shahed-Sacharan

drone manufacturing facilities. They produce, like, thousands of them per month. It's very cheap, expandable drones that Russia uses in what is called. swarm attacks. So just you overwhelm your enemy's defenses by launching so many of them and the air defenses fail and definitely it's going to cause certain damage on the ground. This report followed a similar development when actually Kiev said that Russia is helping North Korea set up domestic production lines of this particular drones. And that is of course of big security concern for us because In 2022, five drones flying over Yon San, the president's, yeah, a presidential residence.

And if North Korea gets access to even more, cheaper and expandable drones, that is, of course, of concern. Or at least the technology, right? Because effectively, it's a technology exchange if you've got a bunch of North Korean specialists working that factory. For sure. They're bringing that home. Yeah, wow.

Okay. Well, that's a lot of stories you've taken us through, but very interesting. Thank you very much, Anton Sokolin. We'll see you again very soon. Yeah, Jacko. Have a good day. Navigating the dynamics of the Korean Peninsula requires more than just information. It demands insight. Career Risk Group offers strategic consulting that cuts through the noise.

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extraneous noises, awkward silences, bodily functions, and fixes the audio levels. Thank you and listen again next time.