Chinese Tuna Fleet Used North Korean Forced Labour In Indian Ocean, Finds EJF
A new investigation by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), a non-governmental organisation, revealed that a fleet of Chinese tuna fishing vessels in the Southwest Indian Ocean used North Korean crew members between 2019 and 2024.
The report reveals that these workers were forced labourers, with some trapped at sea for up to a decade.
The use of North Korean labour violates United Nations (UN) sanctions that prohibit member states from employing North Koreans due to concerns over forced labour and financial contributions to Pyongyang’s weapons programs.
According to EJF, at least 12 Chinese tuna longliners employed North Korean workers, who were transferred between vessels to prevent them from returning to land.
Testimonies from 19 Indonesian and Filipino crew members, who worked alongside the North Koreans, describe harsh conditions.
The North Korean workers were reportedly denied basic rights such as communication devices and the ability to disembark during port visits.
One Indonesian crew member stated, “Six Koreans were not allowed to go home even after they completed their four-year contract. They were just moved from one ship to another”
Some remained at sea for up to ten years without setting foot on land, a condition that meets the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) criteria for forced labour.
The employment of North Korean workers on these Chinese vessels directly violates the …
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