People smuggling

Human Smuggling Ticks Up Along the China-North Korea Border

Lured by the promise of relatively higher wages, more and more North Koreans are making the risky and illegal border crossing into China, sources tell RFA’s Korean Service.

A North Korean resident, who only revealed his last name Choi, said he’d recently crossed the Tumen River acting as a coyote for three North Korean agricultural workers.

“We brought three North Korean laborers to work through autumn season, in order to help the Chinese people,” Choi told RFA. “We earn about 200 Yuan (U.S. $33.30) from the Chinese people for each person.”

The same three laborers made the sometimes treacherous crossing last year to take jobs caring for cattle on Chinese farms, Choi said. Laborers in China make between 15 yuan to 20 yuan (U.S. $2.50 - $3.30) a day depending on which job they do, Choi said.