Chinese Fishing Fleets Accused of Using North Korean Forced Labour, Potentially Violating Sanctions
A new report by the UK-based Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) alleges that Chinese fishing fleets have been employing North Korean forced labour, potentially breaching international sanctions. The report, published on Monday, claims that at least 12 Chinese deep-water fishing vessels employed North Korean crew members between 2019 and 2024.
International sanctions, imposed by the United Nations Security Council, prohibit UN member states from using North Korean labour to curb Pyongyang’s practice of exporting its citizens to generate funds for its weapons programs. Despite this, the EJF report found that some North Korean workers were kept at sea for up to a decade, transferred between vessels, and moved temporarily to other ships to avoid detection at foreign ports. Their wages were allegedly seized by the North Korean government, which later compensated them with housing upon their return.
EJF’s findings are based on photos, videos, and interviews with 19 Indonesian and Filipino fishermen who worked alongside North Korean crew members in the Indian Ocean. The North Koreans reportedly told their fellow workers that they had no choice but to work on Chinese fishing vessels to escape military conscription or other state-assigned labour roles.
One Indonesian fisher recounted a conversation with a North Korean crew member who had worked at sea for seven years without receiving any payment, as their salary was taken by the government. "They were not happy about the arrangement, but they had no other option," he said.
The report also detailed multiple at-sea transfers of North Korean workers and alleged deliberate efforts to conceal their presence by moving them to different vessels before entering ports. "This indicates that vessel captains, and likely vessel owners, were aware that the use of this labour was prohibited," EJF stated. In 2022, Mauritian authorities arrested six North Korean workers and a Chinese captain for failing to report their entry into the country.
The UN Security Council’s sanctions prohibit member states from issuing work permits to North Korean nationals, acquiring seafood sourced from North Korea or its citizens, and employing North Korean workers, who were all supposed to be expelled by 2019. Despite these restrictions, North Korean labour continues to be used, with China being a major destination. Reports indicate that tens of thousands of North Koreans have been sent to work in Chinese factories and seafood processing plants, where they allegedly face widespread exploitation and abuse.
China’s deep-sea fishing fleet, the largest in the world, has faced numerous allegations of illegal fishing practices and crew mistreatment. Following the EJF report, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that he was unfamiliar with the details but insisted that China’s offshore fishing activities complied with legal and regulatory frameworks. "China’s relevant cooperation with [North Korea] is conducted within the framework of international law," he said.
EJF’s chief executive, Steve Trent, called for greater accountability in supply chains to prevent the use of forced labour. He urged for increased transparency in the fishing industry, including mandatory transmission of AIS signals and stricter monitoring of transshipment, warning that ignoring these measures amounts to turning a blind eye to "extreme, avoidable suffering."
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