Nearly a dozen Russian construction firms sent floral arrangements for late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s 84th birth anniversary last week, according to state media, a sign of Pyongyang’s expanding labor exports with its key ally.

Of the 11 firms that sent tribute, seven are based in Moscow and western Russia, while the remainder are located in Siberia.

The latest figures mark an increase from a high of 10 companies that sent flower arrangements last October, marking the DPRK’s ruling party’s 80th founding anniversary.

The increase appears to reflect growing interest among Russian businesses in sourcing North Korean