A North Korean restaurant “Pyongyang-kwan” in China is facing a similar predicament as another restaurant in the same area “Pyongyang Moran-kwan,” where a female employee “Lee” was repatriated back to North Korea last October having been arrested for fleeing the restaurant. As a result, North Korean authorities made the restaurant accountable and repatriated all the employees back to North Korea, which inevitably led to the restaurant closing its doors.

In 2000 also, some female employees fled a restaurant “Pyongyang” in Yanji. As a result, the business was terminated and has yet to restart operations again.

The majority of North Korean restaurants located in China are run by entrepreneurs who have signed a contract with North Korean authorities. While the Chinese are responsible for business and property lease for the restaurant, North Koreans bestow the female workers and extract 40% of the net income.

As more and more waitresses break away from restaurants, North Korean authorities are continuing to withdraw the remaining restaurant employees, as is their custom. Consequently, if all North Korean employees are removed, the restaurant has little choice but to shut down.

North Korean workers sent overseas must undergo a meticulous selection period. North Korean authorities select graduates as their ideal candidates and even if a minor detail is undesirable, the candidate is discarded. Furthermore, North Korean authorities dispatch independent National Security Agents to regulate the overseas workers. Normally, 2~3 security agents are residing at the restaurant also.