North Korean workers face debt and meagre pay in Russia

A report by Global Rights Compliance alleges forced labour by North Korean workers in Russia, with companies said to employ them despite UN sanctions. Their identities are often obscured, and workers have no information about their employer. Fox News reported.

The study draws on 21 testimonies from three Russian cities. It says the main indicators of forced labour are present, including wage withholding, restrictions on movement, excessive working hours and debt burdens. Workers reportedly log up to 420 hours a month and earn less than €700.

From that amount, a mandatory state quota of between €500 and €730 is deducted, along with other costs, according to the findings. As a result, workers are left with only minimal income – sometimes around $10 a month. In cases of arrears, the debt is carried forward to the next period.

The organisation says workers have their passports confiscated on arrival and are placed under surveillance. UN Security Council resolutions require the repatriation of North Korean workers, potentially placing their presence in Russia at odds with international rules.

Neither the Russian Foreign Ministry nor the North Korean mission to the UN responded.

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