North Korean authorities are engrossed in various plans to make money, some of which violate international sanctions on the country, Daily NK has learned.
According to a Daily NK source in North Korea on Thursday, North Korean authorities believe exporting coal or dispatching laborers overseas are the most effective plans for earning foreign currency, which can generate large amounts of money for the ruling party in a short period of time.
UN Security Council Resolution 2397, adopted in December 2017, called for the repatriation of all North Korean nationals earning income abroad within 24 months.
However, North Korean authorities did not repatriate all of its laborers working in China and Russia and have recently been recruiting more workers to send overseas.
In fact, reports confirm that authorities have been recruiting workers to send to Russia since the beginning of this month. Daily NK reported that authorities are taking volunteers in Pyongyang and other major cities with the goal of sending about 10,000 workers to Russia.
By region, Pyongyang has produced the most volunteers so far, followed by the Pyongan provinces, the Hwanghae provinces, the Hamgyong provinces, and Gangwon Province. Chagang Province has reportedly conducted no recruitments to protect the secrecy of the large number of military industries located there.
North Korean authorities are strictly controlling the entry of overseas North Korean nationals and foreigners into North Korea due to the threat of COVID-19. However, they apparently worked out the plan to send workers overseas as they believe this poses less of a risk of bringing the virus to North Korea.
“Dispatching workers can generate the most foreign currency in a short period of time,” said the source. “[The authorities] plan to dispatch them right away once it becomes easier to leave the country.”
Moreover, he said issues related to entry procedures for the workers have already been resolved as well because the recruitment drive follows some sort of an agreement with Russia.
Meanwhile, North Korean authorities reportedly continue to illegally export coal to China.
Another source told Daily NK that coal exports continue out of the port of Nampo. He said coal exports “are currently the easiest way to earn money for the Party.”
This means even though UN Security Council Resolution 2371, adopted in July 2017, placed a complete ban on exports of North Korean coal, unfazed North Korea authorities are still earning foreign currency with coal. In particular, with Chinese demand for coal having grown recently, the interests of the two nations appear to coincide.
Since China suspended imports of Australian coal due to political tensions, Beijing has apparently been making up some of the shortfall with North Korean coal.
“Despite the economic blockade measures [international sanctions], the leadership is busy looking for ways to secure funds because of the serious lack of foreign currency,” the source said.
