Page 95 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

This labor export is a key strategy for North Korea to
earn foreign currency, even amidst UN sanctions. Often
unfamiliar with labor laws, these workers are subjected to
wage exploitation and excessive labor conditions akin to
modern-day slavery. Indeed, they endure a “prison without
walls,” marked by relentless surveillance and control by the
State Security Department or managers from affiliated North
Korean companies. They are subject to grueling working
schedules, extensive surveillance, and regular inspections.
The workers are denied fundamental freedoms, including the
possession of mobile phones, and face harsh punishment for
any rule violations, such as listening to South Korean media.
Yet, recent accounts of North Koreans bribing officials for
overseas work upon the reopening of borders indicates a sense
of desperation within North Korea.

Abduction and Detention iIssues, POWs and Unresolved Cases

North Korea’s abduction and detention of foreign nationals,
notably South Koreans and Japanese, along with its treatment
of Prisoners of War (POWs) necessitates urgent international
attention. During the Korean War, over 80,000 South
Koreans were held as POWs. There were also 3,835 post-
war abductees, most of whom returned to South Korea, but
as of 2016, 516 were known to be held in North Korea. By
July 2021, this number had fallen to 170, and due to their
advancing age, it is likely to be even lower now.

During his 2002 visit, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi obtained Kim Jong-Il’s acknowledgment of 17

94 Section II : Human Rights, Abductees, Forced Repatriation of Refugees and the Regional Implications