Multitudes of North Koreans dispatched to Russia, toiling laboriously under conditions reminiscent of slavery. - Multitudes of North Koreans forced to labor in Russia under deplorable conditions reminiscent of slavery
In the eastern part of Russia, a North Korean worker named Jin was sent to work on a construction site, ordered not to speak to anyone or look around. This is just one of the many stories emerging from the increasing use of North Korean laborers in Russia, a practice that has been met with controversy and concerns over working conditions.
Despite a UN ban on North Korea's labor exports since 2019, it seems that Russia and North Korea continue their labor exchange. The BBC has reported on this issue, detailing inhumane working conditions faced by North Korean workers in Russia. Six defectors who managed to flee Russia last year shared harrowing accounts of their experiences, describing the conditions as "slave-like."
The workers, mostly in construction, clothing factories, and IT centers, are reportedly working 18-hour days from 6 am to 2 am, with only two free days per year. They sleep in squalid, overcrowded containers infested with vermin or on the bare floor of unfinished apartment blocks, using tarpaulins over door frames to protect against the cold. If caught sleeping during work hours, they were beaten by the overseers.
The North Korean regime reportedly uses the wages earned by these laborers abroad to fund its nuclear weapons program. The influx of North Korean laborers is driven by Russia's acute labor shortages caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine. With around 10,000 North Korean workers sent to Russia last year, Russia is relying on these workers to support its economy.
The conditions for North Korean workers in Russia are reportedly very dangerous, with inadequate safety equipment and the lights being turned off at night while they work in the dark. One worker, Nam, reported falling four meters and injuring his face in an accident but was forced to stay on the construction site and was not allowed to go to a hospital.
The UN ban on North Korea's labor exports was intended to prevent the Kim Jong-Un regime from generating further income for its nuclear project. However, with estimates suggesting that the number of North Korean workers in Russia could reach 50,000 by the end of 2025, concerns over the working conditions and the potential funding of North Korea's nuclear program remain.
References:
[1] BBC News. (2025). North Korea: Inside Russia's secret work camps. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58271379
[2] The Guardian. (2025). North Korean workers in Russia 'face slave-like conditions', say defectors. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/10/north-korean-workers-in-russia-face-slave-like-conditions-say-defectors
[3] South China Morning Post. (2025). North Korea sending thousands of workers to Russia to help support Putin's war effort. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3162727/north-korea-sending-thousands-workers-russia-help-support
[4] Reuters. (2025). Russia to hire thousands more North Korean workers amid labor shortage. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-hire-thousands-more-north-korean-workers-amid-labor-shortage-2025-08-12/
[5] The Diplomat. (2025). Russia's Employment of North Korean Workers: A Growing Concern. Retrieved from https://thediplomat.com/2025/08/russias-employment-of-north-korean-workers-a-growing-concern/
- The Commission has also been consulted on the issue of North Korean laborers in Russia, as concerns over their working conditions, human rights violations, and potential funding of North Korea's nuclear program have been growing in policy-and-legislation and general-news circles.
- The ongoing use of North Korean laborers in Russia's war-and-conflicts, specifically those working in construction sites, clothing factories, and IT centers, has sparked debate in the realm of politics and crime-and-justice, as these workers are reportedly subjected to inhumane conditions and slave-like treatment.
- The UN, news agencies, and human rights organizations have been reporting on the plight of North Korean workers in Russia, shedding light on their long working hours, squalid living conditions, and lack of safety equipment, drawing attention to the need for better policy and legislation to protect these workers and prevent their exploitation.
