＜Inside N. Korea＞ Female Workers Head to China – Over 300 from Northern Hyesan Since the Start of the Year – "100 Times Better Than Here" - Chinese Side Urgently Seeks Interpreters

◆ Demand for female interpreters surges with influx of North Korean workers

What is the situation on the Chinese side? Reporting Partner B from Changbai County said:

"China has a serious labor shortage and is requesting many worker dispatches from North Korea, but the North Korean side has a principle of minimizing unmarried female dispatches as much as possible, so there aren't many people who meet the conditions.

“Staff from North Korea's Ministry of External Economic Affairs are stationed in Changbai County and, together with Chinese labor dispatch agencies, confirm the factories where they'll work and wage conditions and relay them to North Korean authorities. Approval comes down in about one to one and a half months after applying for dispatch. It's gotten quite fast compared to the old days."

Additionally, the surge in North Korean workers has reportedly raised interpreter shortages as an issue at work sites.

"Most Korean-Chinese have gone to South Korea to earn money, making it difficult to find women who can interpret. Wages are about 5,000-6,000 yuan (700-840 USD), and they're participating in training at factories together with North Korean women."

◆ Worker dispatch violates UN sanctions

Accepting dispatched workers was prohibited by UN Security Council sanctions in 2017 over nuclear and missile development. However, since this is a win-win area for China, which wants to secure labor, and North Korea, which wants to earn foreign currency, the reality is that sanctions violations are being carried out openly.

There is also a report that North Korean female workers have been entering the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture on the Tumen River side recently. North Korea's worker dispatch appears likely to continue accelerating going forward.

※ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.