Forced labor seafood continues to enter global markets, drawing attention to severe human rights violations and sanction breaches. Recently, a new investigation has revealed disturbing conditions faced by North Korean workers in Chinese fisheries. Together, these findings show how labor exploitation fuels the international seafood trade.
On July 17, 2025, the AND Center presented its report at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club. During the event, the briefing detailed abuse faced by North Korean workers dispatched to Chinese fisheries. According to testimonies, workers must surrender up to 90 percent of their wages to North Korean authorities.
Even before deployment, workers often pay heavy bribes to officials. In particular, women reportedly endure sexual humiliation to receive life evaluation certificates. These abuses begin long before the actual job starts. Once overseas, workers are stripped of passports and placed under constant surveillance.
Furthermore, workers live in dormitories monitored 24/7. They cannot move freely or contact the outside world. In addition, they endure long hours, with shifts lasting 12 to 14 hours. Verbal abuse is routine. Crucially, any attempt to escape carries severe consequences, including forced repatriation. Many disappear after being returned to North Korea.
At the heart of the problem, the core issue is a sophisticated system of wage confiscation. Chinese fisheries pay salaries to accounts designated by North Korean officials. Consequently, workers receive only 10 to 20 percent for living expenses. The rest funds regime operations through the Ministry of Fisheries. As a result, forced labor seafood supports the very system international sanctions aim to isolate.
These activities, therefore, clearly violate UN Security Council Resolution 2397. The resolution banned foreign employment of North Koreans and required repatriation by 2019. Nevertheless, North Korea continues to export labor and evade sanctions.
Even more alarming, forced labor seafood reaches global consumers under Chinese labels. This includes pollock, clams, and salmon distributed in South Korea, the United States, Canada, and Spain. From 2021 to 2023, 4,360 tons reached 36 South Korean companies. Supermarkets and fish markets sold the products widely.
Moreover, the report holds China accountable for allowing these abuses. As a signatory to ILO conventions, China has failed to enforce protections. Additionally, importers also share responsibility for not performing proper due diligence.
In response, Hwang Hyun-wook of the AND Center called for urgent action. He urged stronger sanctions, corporate responsibility, and ethical consumption. He emphasized that forced labor seafood is not just a foreign policy issue—it affects everyday lives.
In conclusion, forced labor seafood highlights the urgent need for global accountability. Governments, companies, and consumers must act to stop exploitation hidden in global supply chains.
