Novosibirsk Region Seeks Temporary Workforce from North Korea Amid Labor Shortage in Construction
The Novosibirsk region has submitted a request to the Ministry of Construction of Russia to import about two thousand workers from North Korea to address a chronic labor shortage in the local construction sector. The regional head of construction, Alexey Kolmakov, stated that the request was made to help sustain momentum in ongoing projects and to mitigate the gap between demand and available skilled labor. This move reflects broader challenges facing the regional economy as it strives to maintain growth in housing and infrastructure while dealing with limited domestic labor pools.
According to Kolmakov, the region is currently operating at the upper limits of its capacity. He highlighted that in 2023, 469 graduates from the local university entered the construction workforce immediately after graduation, contributing to a 10% reduction in the personnel deficit. Despite this progress, the industry still faces a significant shortage, with estimates suggesting a need for roughly 4.5 to 5 thousand specialists to keep projects on track and meet planned timelines. The situation underscores the ongoing reliance on skilled labor and the pressures on regional builders to secure experienced personnel to sustain development momentum. (Source: RIA News)
Earlier discussions indicated that North Korea has been exploring opportunities to expand tourism-related collaborations with Russian operators, signaling a potential shift in cross-border engagement. The talks are part of a broader trend of diversifying international partnerships, including efforts to strengthen travel and tourism links with other Russian regions, such as the Primorsky Territory. These developments come alongside separate reports about North Korea advancing its satellite reconnaissance program, highlighting a multi-faceted foreign policy and economic strategy that encompasses human capital, tourism, and technology sectors. (Source: RIA News)