North Korea is currently repatriating hundreds of North Korean workers from overseas by plane, train and bus, and those remaining in China are busy preparing to come home, Daily NK has learned.
In fact, North Korean women were recently spotted buying items at a large store in China’s Liaoning Province.
“The women had been banned from going outside due to COVID-19 and looked to be in their late 20s and 30s. They were speaking in the North Korean language. The women were carrying their belongings in plastic bags and were resting together in one spot, as if waiting for somebody,” a Daily NK source in China said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
A man who seemed to be their manager later appeared and left with the women to an unknown destination.
Another source in China told Daily NK that it appeared the women were North Korean workers given that they were walking around as a group as they shopped, and because they were led away by a man.
“North Korean workers in China are now at the height of preparations to return home,” the source said. “For the last couple of days, workers who had been banned from going outside after the closure of North Korea’s borders have been going around downtown to do shopping.”
Ever since North Korea closed its borders in January 2020, workers in China have lived isolated lives, confined to their dormitories and workplaces.
Before the pandemic, the workers used to go to markets in small groups to buy things or sightsee. After the outbreak of COVID-19, however, they have been forbidden from going out except in extraordinary circumstances, such as to receive hospital treatment.
North Korean workers overseas normally buy gifts for their family or friends prior to returning home, including clothing, cosmetics, shampoo, soap, toothpaste or other daily necessities.
However, given that the workers have limits to how much they can bring back home, they mostly buy items that are both light and plentiful.
Daily NK understands that North Korean authorities plan to rotate all North Korean workers residing in China by the end of the year.
Given the large number of workers located throughout China, replacing all of them will likely take several months.
In November of last year, Chinese authorities conducted PCR tests on all residents of Dandong, Liaoning Province, revealing that Dandong alone has some 80,000 North Korean workers.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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