North Korea

(asked on 10th February 2015) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of North Korea uses forced and uncompensated labour, including school children, in the construction of tourist sites visited by United Kingdom tourists; and whether United Kingdom legislation prohibits the use of such sites by United Kingdom-based businesses or individuals.


This question was answered on 24th February 2015

We are aware of reports regarding the use of conscripted military personnel in the construction of sites that foreigners visit in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and of the use of forced and uncompensated labour for construction projects more generally. Our Embassy in Pyongyang has seen activity corroborating these reports, such as military personnel working on the new Pyongyang airport terminal and Masik Pass Ski Resort, and we are aware of situations in which university students have been taken out of classes to participate in construction projects. We are unaware of specific reports regarding the use of school children in the construction of tourist sites, and we have not witnessed this in Pyongyang. Our officials have seen children, who appear to be of school age, taking part in extracurricular activities including street cleaning and grass cutting, and also being used as agricultural labour at harvest time.

There is no legislation prohibiting the use of, or access to, DPRK tourist sites by UK-based business or individuals.

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