U.S. keeps S. Korea in Tier 1 group for human trafficking elimination efforts for 3rd straight yr

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. State Department has kept South Korea in the highest tier of countries in terms of anti-human trafficking efforts for the third consecutive year, while maintaining North Korea in the lowest category over state-sponsored forced labor practices, a department report showed Thursday.

The department released the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, where South Korea was listed in the Tier 1 group of 33 countries and territories, including the United States, Britain, Taiwan, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Israel and Denmark.

In its tier placement, the report cited various efforts by Seoul, including increasing investigations and convictions, updating guidelines to provide potential victims with access to emergency support among other efforts.

"The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period. Therefore, the ROK remained on Tier 1," the report said, referring to South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

However, the report also noted that weak sentencing undermined accountability for traffickers in South Korea, while concluding that the number of cases of adult sex trafficking and labor trafficking pursued by law enforcement remained "disproportionately low compared to estimates of the scale of the crime."

The department put North Korea in the Tier 3 group that includes China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Afghanistan and Cambodia. Pyongyang was placed in the lowest tier for the 24th consecutive year.

It pointed out that the North Korean government did not demonstrate any meaningful efforts to address human trafficking.

"During the reporting period, there was a government policy or pattern of human trafficking in political prison camps and 'labor training centers' as part of an established system of political repression, in the mass mobilizations of adults and children, and in the imposition of forced labor conditions on North Korean workers overseas," it said.

It concluded that the North used proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor to fund government operations.

Furthermore, the department assessed that many North Koreans working overseas are subjected to excessive working hours and sometimes work in hazardous conditions and without access to their passports.

"These workers face threats of government reprisals against them or their relatives in the DPRK if they attempt to escape or complain to outside parties, it said. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

This file photo taken April 23, 2025, shows the entrance of the U.S. State Department in Washington. (Yonhap)

odissy@yna.co.kr (END)

N. Korea slams U.S. human trafficking report

U.S. report returns S. Korea to Tier 1 group for human trafficking elimination efforts

U.S. keeps S. Korea in Tier 1 group for human trafficking elimination efforts for 3rd straight yr

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华盛顿，10 月 8 日（韩联社）——美国国务院周四发布的一份报告显示，美国国务院连续第三年将韩国列为打击人口贩运方面表现最佳的国家，同时将朝鲜列为国家支持的强迫劳动行为方面表现最差的国家。

该部门发布了《2026 年人口贩运报告》，其中韩国被列入第一级，与美国、英国、台湾、法国、德国、澳大利亚、新加坡、以色列和丹麦等 33 个国家和地区一起被列入第一级。

该报告在对首尔进行分级时，列举了首尔做出的各种努力，包括增加调查和定罪，更新指导方针，为潜在受害者提供紧急援助等。

报告称：“在报告所述期间，韩国政府继续展现出认真和持续的努力。因此，韩国仍保持在第一级。”这里所指的韩国正式名称是大韩民国。

然而，该报告还指出，韩国对人口贩运者的量刑力度不足，导致追究其责任的能力下降；同时，报告还得出结论，执法部门追查的成年人性贩运和劳工贩运案件数量“与犯罪规模的估计相比仍然不成比例地低”。

该部门将朝鲜列入第三级，同级国家包括中国、俄罗斯、伊朗、古巴、阿富汗和柬埔寨。平壤连续第24年被列入最低级别。

报告指出，朝鲜政府没有做出任何有意义的努力来解决人口贩运问题。

报告称：“在报告所述期间，朝鲜政府在政治监狱营和‘劳动培训中心’推行人口贩运政策或模式，这是既定的政治镇压体系的一部分，体现在对成年人和儿童的大规模动员以及对朝鲜海外工人的强迫劳动条件中。”

报告得出结论，朝鲜利用国家资助的强迫劳动所得来资助政府运作。

此外，该部门评估认为，许多在海外工作的朝鲜人工作时间过长，有时在危险的条件下工作，并且无法使用自己的护照。

声明称，“这些工人如果试图逃离朝鲜或向外界投诉，将面临朝鲜政府对其本人或其亲属的报复威胁。” 朝鲜民主主义人民共和国是朝鲜的正式国名。

这张摄于2025年4月23日的资料照片显示的是美国国务院位于华盛顿的入口。（韩联社）

odissy@yna.co.kr (完)

朝鲜抨击美国人口贩运报告

美国报告将韩国重新列入打击人口贩运工作的第一级国家名单

美国连续第三年将韩国列为打击人口贩运的第一级国家。