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U.S. Department of State 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report - North Korea

North Korea (Tier 3)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K. or North Korea) is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation. The D.P.R.K.'s own system of political repression includes forced labor in a network of prison camps where an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 persons are incarcerated. Many North Koreans seeking to escape the dire conditions in the country attempt to leave by crossing the border into northeast China, where an estimated tens of thousands of North Koreans may reside illegally. There are no completely reliable estimates on the number of these North Koreans, more than half of whom appear to be women victims of trafficking. The illegal status of North Koreans in China and other countries increases their vulnerability to trafficking schemes and sexual and physical abuse. In the most common form of trafficking, North Korean women and children already in China are picked up by trafficking rings and sold as brides to Korean-Chinese men or placed in forced labor. In a less common form of trafficking, some North Koreans are lured from the D.P.R.K. into China with promises of freedom and employment, only to be forced into prostitution, marriage, or exploitative labor arrangements. The scale of the problem is blurred by the operation of "professional border crossers" who help North Koreans voluntarily enter China. North Koreans forcibly returned from China may be subject to hard labor in prison camps operated by the government.

There are also reports of North Koreans sent abroad by the D.P.R.K. government as low-skilled contract laborers to countries such as Mongolia, Russia, and the Czech Republic. While such overseas work may be perceived as prestigious among impoverished North Korean workers facing extremely limited employment freedoms at home, there are reports in some of these countries that movements of North Koreans are controlled by North Korean "minders" – giving rise to allegations that their work is forced or coerced.

The Government of North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. The government does not acknowledge that trafficking is occurring, either within the country or transnationally. The government also contributes to the problem through forced labor prison camps, where thousands of North Koreans live in slave-like conditions, receiving very little food and no medical assistance. Over the last year, the government summarily executed several persons who were sentenced on charges of trafficking in persons; however, international media and NGO reports allege that the men were accused of helping refugees cross the border to China. The D.R.P.K. regime reportedly provides workers for foreign investors operating in North Korean industrial parks. There are concerns that this labor may be exploitative, with the D.P.R.K. government keeping most or all of the foreign exchange paid and then paying workers in local, nonconvertible currency.

Prosecution

Little information is available on the D.P.R.K.'s legal system and there are no known laws that specifically address trafficking in persons. It is difficult to separate the regime's clear state sponsorship of forced labor from criminal statutes it purportedly upholds on trafficking-related crimes. Furthermore, aside from the reported executions of accused traffickers, there were no reports of any law enforcement activities on trafficking during the reporting period. The Penal Code criminalizes crossing the border without permission (Article 233) and defection (Article 62). These laws are used against both traffickers and trafficking victims, as well as against voluntary border crossers and those who aid them. The Penal Code criminalizes the abduction, sale, or trafficking in children (Article 150). The Constitution prohibits exploitation of children (Article 76). There are likely other criminal statutes related to border crossing, but no information exists about such statutes at this time. Fair trials, due process, and other rights for the accused are not the norm in the D.P.R.K.; law enforcement efforts against all crimes, including trafficking, generally take place without regard to international human rights standards. Summary executions, detentions, and imprisonment are reported to have occurred without trial.

Protection

The Government of North Korea does not recognize trafficking victims and provides no reasonable care for them. North Koreans forcibly repatriated from China, some of whom may be trafficking victims, may be jailed and forced into prison labor camps, where some may face torture. The government's priority is to control all activities occurring within its borders; protecting individuals from mistreatment, exploitation, and retribution are not government priorities.

Prevention

The Government of North Korea does not acknowledge the existence of human rights problems, including trafficking in persons. Thus, it does not operate, administer, or promote any public awareness campaigns related to trafficking in the country.

Topics: Trafficking in persons,