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

The U.S. State Department kept South Korea in the highest anti-human-trafficking tier in its 2026 report, while North Korea remained in the lowest tier. South Korea stayed in Tier 1 for the third consecutive year after increasing investigations and convictions and improving emergency support guidelines for potential victims. The report criticized weak sentencing and the disproportionately low pursuit of adult sex-trafficking and labor-trafficking cases. North Korea remained in Tier 3 for the 24th consecutive year over state-sponsored forced labor.

South Korea was one of 33 countries and territories listed in Tier 1, alongside the United States, Britain, Taiwan, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Israel and Denmark.

The report said South Korea demonstrated serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, but weak sentencing undermined accountability for traffickers.

North Korea was placed in Tier 3 alongside China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Afghanistan and Cambodia.

The report described forced labor in North Korean political prison camps, labor training centers, mass mobilizations and overseas worker programs as part of a government policy or pattern of human trafficking.

The report said North Korea used proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor to fund government operations and that many overseas workers faced excessive hours, hazardous conditions and restricted access to passports.

Published Oct 9, 2026 8:17 am KST

A general view of a U.S. State Department sign outside the U.S. State Department building in Washington D.C. 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.

美国国务院在其2026年报告中，将韩国维持在最高级别的反人口贩运国家行列，而朝鲜则继续保持在最低级别。韩国连续第三年位列第一级别，这得益于其加大了调查和定罪力度，并改进了对潜在受害者的紧急援助指南。报告批评了韩国量刑过轻以及对成年人性贩运和劳工贩运案件的追究力度不足。朝鲜则因国家支持的强迫劳动问题，连续第24年被列入第三级别。

韩国与美国、英国、台湾、法国、德国、澳大利亚、新加坡、以色列和丹麦一起，被列入第一梯队的 33 个国家和地区。

报告称，韩国在报告所述期间表现出认真和持续的努力，但量刑力度不足削弱了对人口贩运者的问责。

朝鲜与中国、俄罗斯、伊朗、古巴、阿富汗和柬埔寨一起被列为第三梯队。

该报告将朝鲜政治监狱营地、劳动培训中心、大规模动员和海外劳工计划中的强迫劳动描述为政府政策或人口贩运模式的一部分。

报告称，朝鲜利用国家资助的强迫劳动所得来资助政府运作，许多海外劳工面临工时过长、工作环境危险以及护照获取受限等问题。

发布于2026年10月9日 上午8:17（韩国标准时间）

韩联社报道，美国国务院大楼外的美国国务院标志牌全景，拍摄于华盛顿特区。

美国国务院周四发布的一份报告显示，韩国连续第三年被评为打击人口贩运方面表现最佳的国家，而朝鲜则因国家支持的强迫劳动行为而被评为最低级别。

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。