(MENAFN) North Korea has begun requiring students to study the Russian language, a move that reflects the rapidly strengthening partnership between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The change was confirmed by Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s minister of natural resources and environment and co-chair of the bilateral intergovernmental commission. He noted that language education is expanding on both sides.

"Russian has been introduced as a compulsory language in North Korean schools starting in the fourth grade. In Russia, more than 3,000 schoolchildren are currently studying Korean. Most of them are studying Korean as a second or third foreign language," Kozlov said.

He added that cooperation between the two countries now spans several areas, including the financial sector, the energy industry, and medical training.

Relations between Pyongyang and Moscow have grown significantly closer, especially since North Korean troops began assisting Russian forces in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

During a meeting in Beijing in September, President Vladimir Putin publicly acknowledged for the first time that North Korean soldiers had been deployed to Ukraine at the initiative of Kim Jong Un.

South Korea’s intelligence service has told lawmakers that more than 600 North Korean personnel have been killed while fighting alongside Russian forces, estimating Pyongyang’s total casualties at over 4,700 since its involvement began last year.

Moscow and Pyongyang further solidified their cooperation last year by signing a broad strategic partnership agreement, which includes a pledge of mutual military assistance if either nation is attacked by another state.

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