North Korean Laborers In Qatar Working As 'State-Sponsored Slaves'

[Bosonic]

Source: International Business Times

Thousands of North Korean laborers are effectively toiling as state-sponsored slaves while working on construction projects in Qatar, according to an investigation conducted by The Guardian.

According to the report, North Korean laborers working in the oil-rich emirate receive almost no remuneration in person, with their salaries remitted back to North Korea via the recruitment firms that employ them.

The paper quoted a former North Korean army officer who escaped the country in 2005 as estimating that authorities in the country typically keep 70 percent of the total salary earned by workers abroad, and that after fees for food and accommodation are deducted, worker's will only retain 10 percent of their earnings.

One North Korean worker that the paper gathered testimony from said: “We are here to earn foreign currency for our nation.”

Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/north-korean-laborers-qatar-working-state-sponsored-slaves-during-world-cup-lead-1721107

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http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/07/north-koreans-working-state-sponsored-slaves-qatar

[Scuba]

1. They must be taking lessons from American corporations.

[davidpdx]

2. That is just fucking nuts

I bet they are kept in cells on the boat ride over from North Korea. I would love for someone to stop the boat, shuttle the North Korean (slaves) off the boat then sink the damn thing.

[Fred Sanders]

3. And this is different than these oil rich countries using labor from India, Pakistan etc,., how?

These folks are not slaves of N.K any more than the other workers, just more propaganda fodder to feed to the masses for their daily washing of brain matter.

[Lenomsky]

7. Agree ...

Worked in several of these countries and it was really sad how non Western Nationals were treated.
Passport confiscated with a 5 year contract for pennies.

The abuse (verbal) was ridiculous I wonder what happens behind the scenes.

The pecking order is like a caste system. Once had an Arab chap jump a very long queue at the bank nobody dared complain so I told him he was not going ahead of me so he stood behind me with a big smile!?

[sulphurdunn]

4. Do any of the citizens

of that little kingdom actually work for a living?

[bemildred]

5. They been wage farming in China for a long time, N. Korea.

A source of hard currency.

[JawJaw]

6. See also: Siberian Logging Camps

http://www.vice.com/video/north-korean-labor-camps-part-1

[HoosierCowboy]

8. Are they building dykes ?

Qatar will be under water in 10 years.