US EditionNorth Koreans Are Sent to Work “as Slaves” in Russia: BBC
RUSSIA, AUG 12 – More than 13,000 North Korean workers entered Russia in 2024, facing forced labor conditions amid severe labor shortages caused by the Ukraine conflict, officials said.
- In recent years, North Korean workers are dispatched to Russia, working 18-hour days under conditions comparable to forced labour, according to reports.
- Following the invasion of Ukraine, Putin has increasingly relied on North Korean labour since 2022 as workforce shortages worsen due to war casualties and emigration.
- Six defectors reported that workers endure 18-hour days with only two days off per year, confined to sites watched by North Korean security agents and sleeping in bug-infested shipping containers.
- Since crackdowns intensified, defector arrivals in Seoul have halved from around 20 to 10 since 2022, and `the workers used to go out in groups once a month, but recently these trips have reduced to almost zero`, according to South Korean figures and Prof Kang.
- Amid mounting concern, Pyongyang may dispatch more than 50,000 workers this year, raising significant human rights issues, experts warn.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
Podcasts & Opinions
29 Articles
29 Articles
In the face of labour shortages, Russia is exploiting workers from North Korea under extreme conditions on construction sites and in factories.
·Paris, France
Read Full Article
Testimonies from North Koreans who managed to escape reveal grueling hours, miserable living conditions and strict control by Pyongyang authorities.
North Koreans sent to Russia work in slave conditions while Kim Jong-un looks for revenge on them
·Budapest, Hungary
Read Full Article
They often have to work 20 hours a day, are beaten and strictly monitored: According to the BBC, more and more workers from North Korea are employed in Russia. There is usually no escape.
·Germany
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources29
Leaning Left6Leaning Right5Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Left
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources lean Left
46% Left
L 46%
15%
R 38%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
