According to new reports by international human rights organizations and survivor testimonies, hundreds—if not thousands—of North Koreans are trafficked each year after escaping the regime, only to find themselves caught in new forms of captivity in neighboring countries, particularly China.
“Most of the victims are women who are deceived, sold, or forced into marriages, labor, or the sex trade,” said Lina Yoon, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “They escape one prison only to enter another.”
North Korea does not officially recognize the term "human trafficking" and instead labels all defectors as "traitors." Fearing harsh punishment—including torture, forced labor, or execution—many refugees fall into the hands of traffickers who exploit their desperation.
Women are particularly vulnerable. A 2023 report by the NGO Korea Future revealed that over 60% of North Korean female defectors in China are victims of forced marriages or sexual exploitation. Some are sold multiple times, with traffickers profiting off their continued abuse.
“I was sold for the price of a pig,” said one defector, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “I thought I was escaping to freedom. Instead, I was sold to a man twice my age who kept me locked in his home for years.”
Because China does not recognize North Koreans as refugees, but rather as illegal migrants, victims of trafficking are denied protection under international refugee laws. If discovered, they are often detained and forcibly repatriated to North Korea, where they face brutal punishments in prison camps.
Despite mounting evidence, efforts to stop the trafficking networks remain limited. Activists blame a combination of Chinese government policies, lack of enforcement, and the secretive nature of the North Korean regime for the persistence of the crisis.
“The Chinese government must stop returning North Korean escapees to a regime that brutalizes them,” said Suzanne Scholte, chair of the North Korea Freedom Coalition. “They are victims of trafficking, not criminals.”
International organizations are urging governments to apply greater diplomatic pressure on Beijing and to expand humanitarian assistance for North Korean defectors. Meanwhile, underground networks continue to work in secrecy to help victims escape—often at great personal risk.
Some survivors, now living in South Korea or the West, are using their voices to bring attention to those still trapped.
“We cannot forget the women still being bought and sold like property,” said a 29-year-old survivor now living in Seoul. “Their silence is not consent. It’s survival.”
As world attention remains fixed on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, the hidden tragedy of human trafficking endures in the shadows—largely ignored, but no less urgent.