Mick Hartley

Signs of the times from North Korea, via the Daily NK:

More North Korean factory workers in Dandong repatriated:

China's active participation in UNSC Resolution 2371 has led to a rejection of visa extensions for North Korean workers, forcing many to return to North Korea, Daily NK has learned.

"There used to be 300 North Korean workers here. But due to the recently adopted UNSC resolution on sanctions against the North, 170 were forced to return to the North in the middle of their contracts. The remaining 130 are also likely to be sent back soon," a manager in charge of North Korean workers at a textile factory located in Dandong City, Liaoning Province, told Daily NK….

According to the source, there were approximately 5000 to 7000 North Korean workers at various factories involved in clothing, refrigerators, and food processing (etc.) in Dandong City alone. But the Chinese government has recently advised factory owners to terminate their contracts with North Korean workers. As a result, some Chinese factories have heeded the warning and are sending their North Korean workers back home.

The North Korean authorities now face a difficult situation with a major route of foreign currency earning in jeopardy, but they have no specific solution to the problem.

Once flourishing Rason hard hit by sanctions, exiting Chinese:

The North Korean city of Rason, located in North Hamgyong Province, used to play host to bustling trade and business collaboration between Chinese and North Korean entities. But now that international sanctions have started to bite, the region is feeling the pain. The mood surrounding Chuseok, which is a cheerful holiday marking the Korean harvest festival, has been dampened this year.

One Chinese merchant with experience doing business in Rason told Daily NK, “The Rajin-Sonbong special economic region used to bring in large amounts of funds through fisheries trade with China, but consecutive sanctions targeting Joseon [North Korea] have turned the area into a dreary place.

According to the merchant, most of the Chinese merchants that had operated fisheries processing plants in the area have left. The Chinese business managers helming textile and sewing factories are also exiting the country, unable to endure the difficult conditions any longer.

Yes, sanctions are working.