DPRK to send military construction workers to Russia's Kursk region: Russian media

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will send military builders and sappers to help restore Russia's western Kursk region after Ukraine's attacks, Russian news agencies cited Moscow's security chief as saying on Tuesday during a trip to Pyongyang.

Sergei Shoigu, the head of Russia's Security Council, held talks with DPRK's leader Kim Jong Un for the second time in less than two weeks, Russian news agencies reported.

"An agreement was also reached on continuing constructive cooperation," the TASS news agency quoted Shoigu as saying.

DPRK would send "a division of builders, two military brigades – 5,000 people" as well as 1,000 deminers to Kursk, Shoigu said.

"This is a kind of fraternal assistance from the Korean people and leader Kim Jong Un to our country," he was quoted as saying.

DPRK state media later described the meeting as proceeding in a "congenial atmosphere of friendship and trust," saying Kim had confirmed plans for further cooperation, but without providing details.

Kim and Shoigu discussed "items of immediate cooperation" as well as "long-term plans" to carry out "important matters agreed by the heads of states of the two countries through the exchanges of personal letters for several weeks," Korean Central News Agency said.

(With input from AFP)