title: North Korean workers in Russia: Selection criteria and motivation of laborers
metadata.name: dc.contributor.author
metadata.value: Lankov, Andrei N.
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.accessioned
metadata.value: 2020-09-03T13:44:59Z
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.available
metadata.value: 2020-09-03T13:44:59Z
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.date.issued
metadata.value: 2020-06
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.identifier.citation
metadata.value: Lankov A. N. North Korean workers in Russia: Selection criteria and motivation of laborers. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. International Relations, 2020, vol. 13, issue 2, pp. 206–224.
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.identifier.other
metadata.value: https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu06.2020.206
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.identifier.uri
metadata.value: http://hdl.handle.net/11701/19120
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.description.abstract
metadata.value: Over the past 70 years, North Korean workers have been present in Russia/USSR almost constantly. In the mid-2010s, their numbers exceeded 30 thousand, and most were in the construction industry. Their working conditions are harsh, however, inside North Korea such jobs have always been greatly coveted, leading to a fierce competition for the chance to work abroad. This is due to the fact that working abroad, including in Russia, despite extremely difficult conditions and significant compulsory wage deductions, still makes it possible for a majority of the North Korean workers to save sums which are very significant, by (meager) North Korean standards. These funds are usually then invested to form the foundations of some small private family business (a market stall, an eatery, a workshop), and in such capacity can ensure the well-being of a family for years and decades to come. The article demonstrates that the widespread perceptions of North Korean workers as “slaves” and “bonded unfree labour” are remarkably divorced from reality. It would be an understatement to say that the workers have volunteered for work. Actually, in order to be selected for an overseas work stint, almost all candidates are engaged in a fierce competition, they usually pay significant bribes to the officials and use all available personal connections to secure a job. It is significant that authorities while selecting people for manual work overseas tend to give preference to privileged groups (party members and residents of Pyongyang). The article makes extensive use of interviews with North Korean construction workers.
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.language.iso
metadata.value: ru
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.publisher
metadata.value: St Petersburg State University
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.relation.ispartofseries
metadata.value: Vestnik of St Petersburg University. International Relations;Volume 13; Issue 2
metadata.lang: -
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: migration
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: DPRK
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: foreign workers
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: Russia
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.subject
metadata.value: corruption
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.title
metadata.value: North Korean workers in Russia: Selection criteria and motivation of laborers
metadata.lang: en_GB
metadata.name: dc.type
metadata.value: Article
metadata.lang: en_GB
resources.filename: 206-224.pdf
resources.url: https://dspace.spbu.ru/bitstream/11701/19120/1/206-224.pdf
resources.format: Adobe PDF
resources.size: 732,02 kB