North Koreans Open Factory in China, 2,000 Female Workers Riot, Leading to Deaths; Those Involved Executed or Sent to Labour Reform

Illustration: CCP Police Vehicle (China Photos/Getty Images)

[People News] To earn foreign currency, North Korea has sent a significant number of labourers to work abroad. However, in 2024, 2,000 workers rioted at factories in Jilin Province and Long City due to exploitation and unpaid wages. The protests resulted in the death of a factory supervisor, which the North Korean authorities regarded as a 'threat to the regime.' As a result, they mobilised secret police for a comprehensive intervention, conducting large-scale arrests and purges. After repatriating the involved workers, some were executed immediately, while others were sent to labour reform.

Recent reports from South Korean media indicate that in January 2024, a clothing factory run by North Koreans in China owed wages totalling millions of dollars, igniting widespread protests. This led to the death of an official, although the authorities later claimed it was a suicide. Some individuals assaulted the official and damaged factory equipment. At that time, North Korean officials tried to calm the workers by promising that 'wages would be paid in a lump sum upon their return home,' but the long-oppressed workers were already filled with anger, which ultimately triggered the riot.

Reports suggest that after the North Korean female workers were repatriated, around 200 of the protest leaders were sent to political prisoner concentration camps or directly sentenced to death. Even those who accidentally participated or did not actively voice their dissent faced severe consequences, including forced labour reform, ideological education, and even long-term imprisonment.

Reports suggest that this conflict is not simply a wage dispute; it reflects the long-standing dissatisfaction that has accumulated during the pandemic lockdown. According to the report, over 2,000 North Korean female workers aged 20 to 30, stationed locally, faced long-term restrictions on going outside, violent surveillance, and forced dormitory living, resulting in extremely poor living conditions that resembled house arrest. There were cases of clustered tuberculosis infections, and these workers were repatriated immediately without any medical assistance. Additionally, some employees were sent back to North Korea due to suffering from depression.

To prevent similar incidents from recurring, North Korea has intensified its surveillance of dispatched workers, deploying secret police to monitor them around the clock and even sending soldiers disguised as civilians to infiltrate. Despite the authorities' efforts to control the situation, discontent continues to spread across various regions. In 2023, there were reports of North Korean workers staging a riot in Congo, Africa.