North Korean Women Deployed to Russia as Low-Wage Factory Workers Amid Ukraine War
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
North Korea has deployed thousands of women to work in Russian factories as low-wage laborers under strict supervision, according to British media reports. These workers earn only 4.36 pounds per hour (approximately 46.2 Hong Kong dollars), with some wages reportedly collected as佣金 by the North Korean government. The deployment comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has also sent 50,000 troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, generating substantial revenue for Pyongyang.
Key Points
- North Korean women are assigned to assembly, food manufacturing, and garment production across Russia
- Workers are employed in groups of 40, strictly isolated, and monitored by male managers from Pyongyang
- Their identity documents are confiscated, and they cannot move freely within Russia
- Hourly wage is 4.36 pounds before government佣金 deductions, sparking criticism over labor exploitation
- South Korean intelligence estimates North Korea has earned close to 10 billion pounds from military and labor deployments to Russia
- Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 North Koreans have died in the conflict, primarily fighting in Russia's Kursk Oblast
- North Korean workers are filling labor shortages caused by large-scale Russian male conscription for the Ukraine front
Why It Matters
The deployment highlights how North Korea has transformed its military and labor force into a significant revenue-generating asset for the Kim regime while exposing workers to harsh conditions and minimal pay. This arrangement deepens the military and economic ties between North Korea and Russia, potentially reshaping dynamics in the ongoing Ukraine conflict and drawing international attention to labor exploitation concerns.
The deployment highlights how North Korea has transformed its military and labor force into a significant revenue-generating asset for the Kim regime while exposing workers to harsh conditions and minimal pay. This arrangement deepens the military and economic ties between North Korea and Russia, potentially reshaping dynamics in the ongoing Ukraine conflict and drawing international attention to labor exploitation concerns.