North Korean Workers: Modern-Day Slavery Amid Russia's Labor Shortage

Recent accounts reveal that North Korean laborers in Russia endure extreme working conditions akin to slavery, as Moscow seeks to address labor shortages resulting from the Ukraine conflict. Interviews conducted with escapees depict a grim reality, marked by exploitation and tighter governmental control, amidst wider geopolitical tensions.

Thousands of North Korean workers have reportedly been sent to Russia under conditions resembling modern-day slavery, primarily to meet the acute labor shortage caused by Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine. As revealed by the BBC, estimates suggest over 50,000 North Korean laborers may eventually be deployed to assist in various sectors, including large-scale construction projects.

The situation has become increasingly dire, with South Korean intelligence officials sharing information about how the Russian government is relying on labor from Pyongyang following significant casualties among its own troops. Interviews with six North Korean defectors, who escaped back to South Korea, highlight the shocking realities of their experience in Russia. They described working incessant hours under the supervision of North Korean security agents, who impose strict regimental controls, often forbidding communication with outsiders.

One worker, Jin, recounted being escorted from the airport to a construction site, where he was forced to toil for more than 18 hours daily, with minimal time off and inadequate safety measures in place. Reports indicate that these laborers are often confined to unsanitary quarters, sharing overcrowded shipping containers or sleeping on dirt floors in incomplete buildings.

Kang Dong-wan, a professor who has studied the plight of North Korean workers in Russia, underscored the dangerous environments they face, including working without lights or proper safety equipment at night. Escapees have detailed harrowing episodes where injuries were neglected, and workers were physically punished for failing to meet rigorous demands.

Historically, the North Korean regime has sent thousands of workers abroad, notably earning substantial revenue through their labor. However, punitive UN sanctions initiated in 2019 were intended to disrupt these practices amid concerns surrounding funding for nuclear armament. Despite this, North Korea has recently resumed sending workers back to Russia, with official figures showing a twelvefold increase in North Korean labor arrivals in 2024 alone.

As the laborers face exploitation, the substantial earnings intended to aid their families back home are primarily levied by the regime as “loyalty fees,” while workers receive a meager stipend. Many aspire to improve their living conditions upon returning, only to realize the oppressive circumstances they endure and the disparity in income compared to other foreign laborers.

Reports indicate a strengthening crackdown by the North Korean government to prevent escapes, including increased ideological indoctrination and restrictions on any freedom of movement. Activists aiding defectors claim that in light of these developments, the number of North Koreans successfully fleeing Russia has dramatically declined, despite their desperate conditions.

Experts like Andrei Lankov suggest that the ongoing collaboration between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, epitomized by the deployment of these laborers, will likely leave a lasting legacy extending beyond the conflict. The current crisis has underscored the dark intersection of geopolitics and human rights as the fates of these workers remain precarious amid larger state ambitions.