Thousands of North Koreans sent to work in Russia are facing extreme exploitation, with reports of 18-hour shifts, freezing housing, and up to 70% wage confiscation by the Pyongyang regime. The BBC investigation reveals:
✔ Forced Labor: Workers endure near-constant shifts with minimal rest
✔ Brutal Conditions: Sleep in unheated shipping containers, monitored by minders
✔ Wage Theft: Most earnings seized as “loyalty payments” to North Korea
✔ Sanctions Dodge: Enter Russia on student visas to bypass UN labor bans
Why This Matters
• Human Rights Crisis: Reinforces reports of state-sponsored exploitation
• Sanctions Loophole: Shows how student visas mask forced labor schemes
• Geopolitical Complicity: Russia benefits from cheap labor despite UN bans
Key Findings
→ 13,000+ workers entered Russia in 2024 (12x increase from 2023)
→ Could hit 50,000 soon as cooperation deepens
→ Workers trapped: Fear retaliation if they speak out
What Next?
→ UN Response: Will sanctions enforcement tighten?
→ Global Pressure: Calls for Russia to halt program
→ Worker Fate: Can international groups intervene?
