Forced Labor of North Koreans in Russia: A Harsh Reality

Under the relentless Russian winter, “RT,” a former North Korean laborer, shared his experience of working in grueling conditions. He described waking up before 6 a.m. and trudging to the construction site, working long hours—sometimes until midnight—without breaks. “Rain or snow, it didn’t matter. Our hands were so cracked we could barely hold tools, yet we had no choice but to keep going,” he explained, speaking to a news outlet under a pseudonym for anonymity.

RT was part of a vast network of around 100,000 North Korean workers sent abroad by the state. He was enticed with promises of earning money but quickly discovered that much of what he earned was siphoned away. “They told me I’d be able to provide for my family, but when I got here, I realized that money wasn’t mine at all. It was never mine,” he lamented.

A recent report by Global Rights Compliance details the dire situation faced by these workers in Russia. It claims that Russian companies are employing North Koreans in defiance of UN sanctions, often obscuring their identities so that the workers remain unaware of who they are working for. The report underscores that UN resolutions mandate the repatriation of these laborers, making their continued presence in Russia potentially unlawful.

This report paints a stark picture of North Korea’s systemic exploitation of its citizens for economic gain while under sanctions. As Yeji Kim, an advisor at Global Rights Compliance, revealed, every North Korean worker must pay a monthly fee to their home country, often referred to as Gukgagyebubun, regardless of their circumstances. “It’s something you owe—dead or alive,” one worker recounted.

A typical wage for these workers is around $800 a month, yet after deductions for various fees, they may end up with merely $10. Some are even left indebted for years due to strict quotas that dictate their every move. One worker confessed that his quota felt like “a lump on his back,” affecting all aspects of his life.

RT explained how the system operates without compassion. “There’s no negotiation on payments. If you fall short, the debt just rolls over. You’re told to meet your quota by any means necessary, even if it means using your own money. You think you’re coming to earn something, but you leave with nothing. If you fail repeatedly, you’re sent home—which isn’t a safe haven; it brings risks like blacklisting and interrogations for you and sometimes, your family.”

Attempts to reach both the Russian Foreign Ministry and the North Korean mission to the UN for comments went unanswered.

The report identifies multiple indicators of forced labor—like debt bondage, restrictions on personal movement, excessive overtime, and sometimes violent oversight—based on testimonies collected from various workers in three Russian cities. Passports are reportedly confiscated upon arrival, further trapping these individuals.

RT noted, “We never held our passports again. We were not free to leave where we were living, which was only a few steps away from the city. Occasionally, we could go out, but only in groups, and with strict time constraints.” Some even claimed to have faced physical abuse that left them unable to work for significant periods.

Living conditions for these workers are reported to be dire—overcrowded accommodations infested with pests, limited access to basic hygiene, and minimal days off. “I lived worse than a cow,” one individual expressed, highlighting the severity of their circumstances.

Experts estimate that the labor program generates around $500 million a year for North Korea, a crucial revenue source for a regime operating under extensive international sanctions. This revenue helps sustain the political elite and could potentially support military ambitions, including nuclear programs.

The report arrives amid claims that North Korea has supplied substantial military support to Russia during its conflict in Ukraine.

Those involved in the report stress that hosting countries play a pivotal role in enabling this exploitation. RT feels a responsibility to share their story. “We are just like you, but we work like cattle. We started out hoping for a better future for our families, only to find a system that stripped everything away.”

He emphasized the plight of many still trapped in this system: “There are still many men on construction sites in Russia, putting in 16-hour days with no way to contact their families or get home. Their existence is virtually unknown to the outside world, but they are there—and they need to be heard.”