North Korean Workers Exploited in Russian Forced Labour Programme

• •Over 100,000 North Korean workers exploited in Russia and 40 other countries.
• •Workers face extreme conditions, including 18-hour workdays and minimal pay.
• •The forced labour programme generates significant revenue for North Korea's missile initiatives.

A new report by Global Rights Compliance reveals that North Korean workers are being exploited in Russia as part of a state-sponsored forced labour programme. The investigation highlights a broker network that facilitates the recruitment of over 100,000 North Korean workers across 40 countries, including Russia. These workers are often sent under the guise of students to evade UN sanctions and are forced to work long hours, with reports of up to 18 hours a day, while forfeiting 90% of their income to the North Korean regime. The programme is estimated to generate between $450 million and $800 million annually for North Korea, funding its missile programme. The report includes testimonies from workers detailing oppressive conditions, including living in overcrowded, unheated containers. Russia's economic pressures due to the ongoing war in Ukraine have intensified the demand for this forced labour.