In brief
North Korean fishermen, bound to Chinese tuna boats in the Indian Ocean, work under unbearable conditions, with their earnings funneled to Kim Jong-un’s government. This labor violates UN sanctions aimed at thwarting the regime’s nuclear funding efforts.
In the vast Indian Ocean, thousands of North Koreans are aboard Chinese tuna longliners, working under extreme conditions for many years. Many of them have never set foot on land, as their Chinese captains fear inspections. A new study from the Environmental Justice Foundation highlights how their hard-earned wages largely go to support Kim Jong-un’s cash-strapped government.Despite a UN ban on hiring North Koreans due to concerns about funding their nuclear weapons program, Kim Jong-un has dispatched thousands of his citizens overseas for income. These workers have been seen in various roles, from factories in China to construction sites in Russia and Africa. Reports even indicate that around 11,000 North Koreans have been sent to fight for Russia in Ukraine.The plight of these fishermen has yet to gain significant attention, their existence shrouded in the vastness of the ocean. The Environmental Justice Foundation’s report suggests that the conditions they endure could be classified as forced labor, raising alarms about human rights abuses in the global fishing industry.
