The North Korean government is reportedly demanding additional flood recovery contributions from its overseas workers stationed in China, further increasing their financial burden.
According to a report from Daily NK on August 29, citing sources in China familiar with North Korean affairs, this directive was issued earlier this month.
As a result, North Korean workers in various industries across China, including garment, seafood, and electronics processing plants, have been instructed to comply with this demand.
In a garment processing factory located in Dandong, Liaoning Province, North Korean workers have been ordered to donate all but 500 yuan (approximately $70) of their monthly salary, which is meant to cover basic living expenses.
These workers typically earn between 2,500 and 3,000 yuan (approximately $352 to $422) per month. This means that 80% of their salaries for this month will be allocated to party funds, the Socialist Women’s League dues, and flood recovery contributions.
Earlier, it was reported that North Korean workers dispatched to Russia were also ordered to contribute $70 per person towards flood recovery efforts.
Unlike in Russia, where a specific amount was uniformly set for all workers, the exact amount to be contributed by North Korean workers in China was not specified. Each trading company managing these workers is expected to determine the contribution amount independently, leading to variations in the amount collected depending on the factory, according to Daily NK.
North Korean trading companies managing the workers are likely to demand all but the minimal living expenses from the workers’ salaries as flood recovery contributions. These companies often compete to demonstrate loyalty to the regime, leading to such stringent demands.
Some trading companies that are more considerate of their workers might leave a slightly larger portion of the salary for the workers. However, due to the intense loyalty competition, most companies are expected to demand nearly all of the workers’ wages, leaving only the bare minimum for living expenses, according to sources.
Additionally, some trading companies have reportedly been collecting a portion of the workers’ wages under the pretext of meeting “assignments from Pyongyang,” while pocketing part of the funds for themselves.
For instance, if a company managing 500 workers were to collect 2,000 yuan from each worker, it could amass a substantial sum of 1 million yuan. Some companies are allegedly taking advantage of this opportunity to embezzle a portion of the funds.
Faced with these demands, most North Korean workers in China reportedly expected such contributions, but they are growing suspicious that the majority of their salaries are being seized under the guise of flood recovery efforts, with some funds possibly being misappropriated by officials.
One source told Daily NK, “It would be better if the authorities set a clear amount for the flood recovery contribution, but instead, they demand as much as possible without specifying a fixed sum, leaving the workers unsure of how much they are actually contributing. This has naturally led to growing discontent among the workers.”
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
