Customs vows to block N. Korean labor goods

Fish fromlaborers in Chinese factories traced to U.S. stores.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it is ready to blockU.S. imports of seafood — as well as any other goods — produced by North Korean laborerswhowork in China.

AnAssociatedPress investigation tracked salmon, squid and cod processed by North Koreans working at Chinese factories and shipped to American stores, including WalmartandALDI. TheNorth Koreanworkers found in Chinese factories aren’t allowed to leave, and receive only a fraction of their pay — most goes straight to the North Korean state. Thismeans that American consumers buying seafood labeled “Caught in the USA, Processed in China” may inadvertently be subsidizing the government of Kim Jong Un as it builds nuclear weapons, and also supporting forced labor.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it is reviewing the allegations and if warranted, would “pursue all enforcement actions and prohibit goods fromimportation as appropriate.” The companies that responded also vowed to investigate tieswith suppliers.

At this pointanythingmade by North Korean workers anywhere is presumed to be made with forced labor, the State Department said in a statement Friday.

“North Koreans sent overseas do not have a choice in the work; the government ultimately assigns them and they are not free to change jobs,” said the statement, noting that wages and passports are typically withheld by NorthKorean supervisors.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican who has repeatedly called for tougher enforcement, said the Labor Department has already identified trafficking in 12sectors ofgoodsexported by China.

“CBP should be stopping every shipment from those sectors — and now trafficking-tainted salmon too,” he said.

A White House National Security Council spokesman said the NorthKorean government’s scheme to outsource its labor underscoreswhy the United States has pushed for restrictions on North Korean foreignworkers. The spokesmansaid all countries should, at a minimum, ban companies from bringing in North Korean crews, as pledged in recent United Nations sanctions.

China is among the countries that have promised to comply, already banning imports of North Korean seafood, and saying no more North Korean workers will be allowed starting next year.

“But all nations must go further and reject what is clearly a despicable practice that only serves the regime’s nuclear ambitions,” said the NSC spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because hewasn’t authorized to comment.

Walmart said its supplier has addressed the problem, although it did not specify how. Walmart and ALDI said they are committed to human rights and fair labor practices, and expect the same from their business partners.

At a timewhenNorthKorea faces sanctions on many exports, the government is sending tens of thousands ofworkersworldwide, bringing in revenue estimated at anywhere from $200 million to $500 million a year. That could account for a sizable portion of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs, which South Korea says have cost more than $1 billion.

North Koreans overseas work in construction in the Gulf states, shipbuilding in Poland, logging in Russia. In Uruguay, authorities told AP, about 90 North Koreans crewed fishing boats last year.

“I am not surprised at all,” said Anthony Talbott, who directs the University of Dayton’s Human Rights Center. “North Korea has probably the single highest level of state-sanctioned slavery in theworld. It’s a major source of income for them.”

Amongthose NorthKorean laborers in China, roughly 3,000 are believed to work in the northeast industrial hub of Hunchun, just a few miles from the borders of both NorthKorea andRussia. AP documented North Koreans in several Hunchun seafood processing plants, and tracked their supply chains to importers, including SeaTrek Enterprises in Rhode Island, where managers said they are being inundatedwith phone calls from customers and suppliers since the AP story.

Sea-Trek’s owners said that they hadn’t visited China and were unaware of themakeup of the workers, but would immediately cease dealings with the plant until the situation is resolved.

“Sea-Trekwill not purchase product from any company using forced labor,” said Vice President Mitch Sarnoff.

Mark Liszt, owner of Lawrence Wholesale, a national food distributor in Southern California, said itwould investigate its suppliers as well.