A senior North Korean official held talks with the governor of Russia’s far eastern region of Primorsky Krai amid speculation that the regime is looking to send workers to its northern neighbor.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, external economic relations minister Yun Jong-ho held talks with Oleg Kozhemyako in Pyongyang on Tuesday as the two discussed bolstering regional economic cooperation.

The talks are speculated to have concerned the dispatch of North Korean workers to Russia, reported to be a significant number in the country's far eastern region, in violation of UN Security Council(UNSC) resolutions imposed over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs.

South Korea’s spy agency said on Tuesday that the North has been pushing to send workers to Russia and is closely monitoring the situation.

Seoul’s foreign ministry on Tuesday said that the situation is being monitored closely, while also reaffirming that UNSC Resolution 2375 prohibits the regime from sending workers abroad.