North Korea Classified in Lowest Tier for Human Trafficking

In its annual Trafficking of Persons Report released on Monday, the U.S. classified North Korea in the third and lowest tier and South Korea into the top tier just as it did in the previous year. According to the report, North Korea, which was classified as Tier 3 along with Venezuela, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Cuba and other countries, is “a source country for persons trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation.” The report also pointed out that the country “operates forced-labor prison camps to punish criminals and repatriated North Koreans.” It also stated, “Many nations provide humanitarian assistance and food to the North Korean people, but deteriorating economic conditions continue to pressure thousands into fleeing to China, Russia, and Mongolia.”

“The North Koreans` illegal status in other nations increases their vulnerability to trafficking schemes and sexual and physical abuse,” according to the report.

Regarding South Korea, it said that South Korea “acknowledges the problem and has shown a steady commitment to support victims, prosecute traffickers, and improve national laws to fight trafficking.”

However, it also pointed out that “South Korea is a source, transit, and destination country for women from the Philippines, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries who are trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Some Chinese and Russian women are trafficked to South Korea. Korean women are trafficked to Japan and to United States, sometimes via Canada.”

The report included Japan on the watch list, citing that “Japan`s trafficking problem is large and Japanese organized crime groups (yakuza) that operate internationally are involved.”

Soon-Taek Kwon maypole@donga.com