North Korea Introduces Mandatory Russian Language Classes in Schools as Ties with Moscow Strengthen

Authorities in North Korea have declared that the Russian language will be a required subject for children starting from elementary school, according to a senior official from Russia on Thursday. This move comes as both nations enhance their partnership in the face of shared isolation from Western countries.

«I am aware that Russian has been established as a compulsory language in schools in the DPRK from the fourth grade onwards,» stated Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. He was referencing North Korea’s official designation as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Kozlov, who also participates in an intergovernmental commission formed by Moscow and Pyongyang, mentioned that Russian is one of the more popular foreign languages in North Korea, with approximately 600 students currently pursuing it.

The minister further indicated that in the previous academic year, 96 North Koreans enrolled in Russian universities.

There has been no immediate verification of Kozlov’s statements from North Korean officials, and it remains unclear when the compulsory lessons would commence.

Last week, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang announced its ongoing efforts to promote Russian language instruction for North Korean university students.

The embassy reported that two instructors from the Pushkin Institute have been in Pyongyang for one month as part of a two-month initiative, conducting classes on Russian language and culture for about 250 students.

At the same time, Kozlov highlighted that over 3,000 schoolchildren in Russia are learning Korean as a second or third language, with roughly 300 university students also studying it.

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, North Korea and Russia have made significant efforts to strengthen their relations.

Last year, President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un entered into a mutual defense agreement, while Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to assist the Russian military in repelling Ukrainian forces after they gained control of areas in the western Kursk region.