Out of concern of being found in violation of the U.N. security council resolutions, the Chinese government officially denies the presence of NK laborers in China despite continuously hosting a robust NK workforce.

The workforce primarily consists of unmarried women in their twenties working in factories. While NK men are universally conscripted for the military for a minimum of ten years, women are selectively conscripted. Becoming a foreign laborer gives young women a chance to earn money before returning home to start a family.

However, complaints and unrest have recently arisen among NK laborers about pay and working conditions, with some even desiring to defect. This has put NK factory heads in a difficult position of having to appease laborers while still carrying out orders.

One laborer wrote us:

This puts our partners in China in an advantageous position, as they build and maintain relationships with NK factory heads. When our partners offer to distribute ministry packs along with Bible devices, the factory heads view it as a way for them to keep the laborers happy by giving them a gift. While it would be dangerous for the factory heads to distribute the ministry packs and Bibles in the factory facilities, the factory heads make do by taking the workers out to a different location in order to complete the distribution.

Below is an example of the kind of feedback we received from workers, for whom even writing the word “Bible” is a great risk:

• Pray for our partner who ministers to NK sex-trafficked women in China. Our partner is faithful to preach the gospel and care for all NK women she comes in contact with. Pray that the Lord would continue to bring new NKs across her path.
• Pray for our outreach to NK laborers wherever they are found. Despite UN sanctions, NK laborers work in China, Mongolia, Russia and other countries. We continue to reach out to these workers with the Gospel.