Thousands of workers from the North Korea allegedly sent to the Russia By Kim Jong Un to work in conditions reminiscent of modern slavery, according to a BBC survey. These workers, who are mainly employed in construction sites, are obliged to work more than 18 hours a day, reside in unhealthy conditions and lack any contact with the outside world.
The British network interviewed six North Korea workers sent by Kim Jong Un And they managed to escape Russia after the start of the invasion of Ukraine, as well as by South Korean officials and researchers. Everyone describes an exhaustive daily routine: awakening at 6am, work by 2 in the morning, with just two days of rest. Workers are sleeping in containers full of insects or unfinished buildings, under the constant monitoring of agents of the North Korean regime.
One of them, under the nickname of jeans, was told that it was accompanied by the airport by a security agent and was driven directly to a construction site. Another, Tae, described that his hands paralyzed each morning from the fatigue of the previous day. Witnesses also report physical violence to those who were delayed or fell asleep at work.
Wages seized by the state
Although these missions abroad are considered sought after in North Korea due to the promise of higher earnings, the reality is different. Most of the salary is directly withheld by the state as a “end of dedication”.
The rest – usually between $ 100 and $ 200 per month – is only paid after returning to the country as a means of preventing escape. Compared to other foreign workers, the North Koreans are paid up to five times less for work much more painful.
Network extending despite sanctions
Despite the UN ban since 2019, which aimed to discontinue foreign revenue of the Kim Jong Un regime, the BBC reports that at least 10,000 workers were sent to Russia in 2024. South Korean authorities estimate that the number may exceed 50,000 in the coming years. Many are officially recorded as “students” to bypass sanctions.
According to experts, Moscow even intends to place some of these workers in rebuilding projects in occupied Ukrainian areas. “These workers will be the permanent legacy of war friendship between Kim and Putin,” commented Andrei Lankov, a specialist in North Korea -Russia relations.