Recently, the North Korean authorities conducted ideology censorship on laborers who work at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. As a result of their findings, five thousand laborers, who were selected as subjects of ideological criticism, were deleted from the returnee list to the complex.

 

Open Radio for North Korea’s source in Sariwon said during a phone interview on September 23rd, “Last April, the North Korean authorities conducted an ideological review on laborers at the Kaesong Industrial Complex after it was closed, and people who had problems or were selected as subjects of ideological criticism were all deleted from the list of returnees.”

 

Accordingly, it seems that people who were considered to have a problem or to have said something positive towards South Korea are prevented from coming back to the complex.

 

The source explained, “Instead, the authorities are selecting 5,000 new laborers to supplement workers and the selected new laborers need a guarantee (sign) from their previous workplace such as factory, National Security Agency, etc.”

 

The source added, “The cabinet and the Ministry of Labour led this supplement of labor force but if the additional laborer causes a problem, the responsibility is on guarantor (party secretary of factory or agents in charge of the person), so laborers’ bribery to officials is continuing.”

 

Previously, the North Korean authorities have said that 10% of all laborers at the Complex would be lost due of ‘marriage, death, retirement.’

 

Source: Open Radio for North Korea