A significant number of North Korean workers in China are
being forced to work at multiple companies in addition to their regular posts
in order to earn extra cash for the regime. This comes as many Chinese
companies are facing a shortage of North Korean workers following recent
defections by North Korean restaurant employees, which has stirred up political
tensions back home, Daily NK has learned.
“The number of workers coming in from the North has been in
decline, so Chinese companies seeking cheap laborers are facing a shortage,” a
source in China close to North Korean affairs told Daily NK on Thursday. “Due
to this dilemma, they are borrowing North Korean female workers from other
companies for a few days at a time when they’re needed. North Korean cadres are
actively encouraging the practice.”
“The female workers now work for a number of companies.
They’re frequently on the move and are struggling under the intense demands
because they aren’t getting proper days off,” the source said, adding, “They
already have their normal monthly wages severely reduced because the North
Korean authorities siphon it off, and now they aren’t receiving anything extra
for the additional work. So grievances are mounting; they do not see themselves
as slaves or machines.”
The number of North Korean workers officially employed by
Chinese companies had previously been rising steadily. However, following the
recent defection of over a dozen restaurant employees to South Korea, a subtle
shift took place. Parents of North Korean workers, worried they might face
consequences from attempted escapes or other actions taken by their children
dispatched overseas, now view overseas work much less favorably, reported the
source.
Chinese employers have noted the shift, saying that it used
to be easy to hire North Korean workers until just a few months ago, as long as
they had ties to cadres. But following the group defection, the resultant
changes have thrown companies that rely heavily on North Korean female workers
into turmoil.
Chinese companies facing strict deadlines for their goods
are turning to partner firms for temporary assistance, and as a result, North
Korean workers are being dispatched to fill the gaps with the tacit approval of
their North Korean managers.
“The Chinese firms are ‘renting’ these workers by the day or
month to stem losses,” an additional source in China said, adding that the North Korean cadres are
reportedly pocketing approximately half of each worker’s daily wages [100 to
200 RMB] for themselves, before it makes it way back to North Korea.
Due to the lucrative benefits, cadres are forcing their
workers to take on the extra work. Those currently dispatched overseas are
therefore facing even harsher working conditions and continual exploitation,
said the source.
Daily NK recently reported in April that
Pyongyang was permitting Chinese firms to extend the labor hours of North
Korean workers to secure more funds for the state in the wake of the Party
Congress.
