Korea was again stamped as second-tier in the annual human trafficking report by the United States released Thursday, for its “inadequate” efforts to prevent trafficking and protect victims.

The report, published by the U.S. Department of State, said Korea is making “significant efforts” but failed to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking fully.

Korea was downgraded to Tier 2 last year for the first time in two decades.

“The Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so,” the report said, referring to Korea by its official name.

“The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period, considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore the ROK remained on Tier 2,” it added.

The document classifies 188 nations into four tiers — Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2 “watchlist,” and Tier 3 — in terms of actions in preventing trafficking, protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the need to tackle trafficking in persons, saying it “harms our societies: weakening the rule of law, corrupting supply chains, exploiting workers, fueling violence.”

The report recommended that Korea amend the definition of trafficking under the Crimes Act to be consistent with the definition of trafficking under international treaties and protocols dealing with the issue.

The annual report also advises Seoul to “increase efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers, particularly labor traffickers, including those who use forced labor on ROK-flagged fishing vessels,” and “seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should include significant prison terms.”

North Korea, on the other hand, was placed in the lowest category of Tier 3.

“The government did not demonstrate any efforts to address human trafficking,” the report said of Pyongyang.

BY DONG-JOO SOHN, YONHAP [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]