Trafficking and sexual exploitation of female refugees from North Korea

Due to the famine in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the number of people fleeing North Korea has increased significantly. Because there is no legal way to migrate, most refugees flee North Korea by paying brokers and crossing the border into China. They are exposed to various risks during the escape process.

In particular, female refugees are naturally exposed to human trafficking through brokers. Those who cannot pay the broker a huge fee will have to pay it back through forced marriage or forced labor. They are illegal aliens in China and face harsh punishment if they return to North Korea, so they cannot fight against such trafficking and must adapt. The following materials show the status of the human trafficking of North Korean female refugees.