Comments on: Slave Labor and Luxury Cars — North Korea, Inc. http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/ Korea... in Blog Format Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:56:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: George Banks http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-133487 George Banks Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:35:54 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-133487 OK, so in effect they are making $1000 per month, getting fed housed and keeping $200 per month for themselves. All their other expenses are paid and they return to North Korea relatively rich. Apart from the fact that they are not allowed to speak or travel around Nachod of an evening (not such a great sacrifice), I fail to see how this is any different from paying income tax of 80%. Here in rip-off Britain by the time I've paid for private dental care, VAT on everything I buy as well as rip off prices, 40% income tax and national insurance, school trips, £120 for a passport, £200 for a TV licence etc I am probably only slightly better off. I'm free to speak but if I say anything really outrageous the PC police will soon be on my case. OK, so in effect they are making $1000 per month, getting fed housed and keeping $200 per month for themselves. All their other expenses are paid and they return to North Korea relatively rich.

Apart from the fact that they are not allowed to speak or travel around Nachod of an evening (not such a great sacrifice), I fail to see how this is any different from paying income tax of 80%.

Here in rip-off Britain by the time I’ve paid for private dental care, VAT on everything I buy as well as rip off prices, 40% income tax and national insurance, school trips, £120 for a passport, £200 for a TV licence etc I am probably only slightly better off.

I’m free to speak but if I say anything really outrageous the PC police will soon be on my case.

]]> By: OneFreeKorea » EU Investigating Forced N. Korean Labor http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-57924 OneFreeKorea » EU Investigating Forced N. Korean Labor Mon, 04 Dec 2006 11:54:43 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-57924 [...] You may recall my previous post (and R. Elgin’s) about the use of female North Korean slave laborers to stitch upholstery for German luxury sedans, which certainly brings back a few memories about the golden age of German business ethics.  It looks like that source of income will soon come to an end, as the European Parliament is now investigating the conditions under which North Koreans labor in the Czech Republic and Poland.  It expects to complete its investigation by next spring. It is estimated that the number of workers that the North Korean government sent to overseas countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, the Middle East, and Africa is anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000. Currently, 400 North Korean workers, mostly women, are staying in the Czech Republic and working in sewing factories in the suburbs of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. [...] [...] You may recall my previous post (and R. Elgin’s) about the use of female North Korean slave laborers to stitch upholstery for German luxury sedans, which certainly brings back a few memories about the golden age of German business ethics.  It looks like that source of income will soon come to an end, as the European Parliament is now investigating the conditions under which North Koreans labor in the Czech Republic and Poland.  It expects to complete its investigation by next spring. It is estimated that the number of workers that the North Korean government sent to overseas countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, the Middle East, and Africa is anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000. Currently, 400 North Korean workers, mostly women, are staying in the Czech Republic and working in sewing factories in the suburbs of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. [...]

]]> By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-56226 R. Elgin Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:47:34 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-56226 Here is yet another fresh example of the same thing, this time in <a href="http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200611/16/200611162124067009900090109012.html" rel="nofollow">China</a>. The Chinese don't mind since they have few morals . . . Here is yet another fresh example of the same thing, this time in China.

The Chinese don’t mind since they have few morals . . .

]]> By: slim http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55078 slim Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:44:23 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55078 kpmsprtd is correct -- my fear expressed above is that North Korea knows this and these ladies will not be placed back among family and friends, but quarantined or worse. I've read that even the miserable Siberian loggers hate going back to the DPRK after they've tasted the relative freedom of a guarded labor camp. kpmsprtd is correct — my fear expressed above is that North Korea knows this and these ladies will not be placed back among family and friends, but quarantined or worse. I’ve read that even the miserable Siberian loggers hate going back to the DPRK after they’ve tasted the relative freedom of a guarded labor camp.

]]> By: dlatn http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55073 dlatn Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:05:50 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55073 ehdehdwn ehdehdwn

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » North Korea: migrant labour http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55045 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » North Korea: migrant labour Fri, 10 Nov 2006 08:04:16 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55045 [...] R. Elgin in Marmot’s Hole discusses about the North Korean migrant labour conditions in Czech, who are producing luxurious car to support the North Korea’s economy. Oiwan Lam [...] [...] R. Elgin in Marmot’s Hole discusses about the North Korean migrant labour conditions in Czech, who are producing luxurious car to support the North Korea’s economy. Oiwan Lam [...]

]]> By: michael http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55042 michael Fri, 10 Nov 2006 04:59:09 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55042 kpmsprtd = mahathir_fan Or Kushibo :) kpmsprtd = mahathir_fan

Or Kushibo :)

]]> By: kpmsprtd http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55040 kpmsprtd Fri, 10 Nov 2006 04:52:05 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55040 I guess I'm still naive despite my advanced age. I can't help thinking that anything that exposes North Korean citizens to the outside world is ultimately going to be a good thing. To me, there's a big difference between what people say officially and what they think unofficially inside their own brains. Why should the North Korean workers talk to the Czech press or government? There's nothing good in it for them. But they will talk to their family, friends, and neighbors when they go back. And that will be good. I guess I’m still naive despite my advanced age. I can’t help thinking that anything that exposes North Korean citizens to the outside world is ultimately going to be a good thing.

To me, there’s a big difference between what people say officially and what they think unofficially inside their own brains. Why should the North Korean workers talk to the Czech press or government? There’s nothing good in it for them. But they will talk to their family, friends, and neighbors when they go back. And that will be good.

]]> By: slim http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55037 slim Fri, 10 Nov 2006 04:17:53 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55037 I must say I'm afraid to ask what happens when North Korans are sent home after these work stints. I must say I’m afraid to ask what happens when North Korans are sent home after these work stints.

]]> By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55025 R. Elgin Fri, 10 Nov 2006 01:59:27 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/11/09/slave-labor-and-luxury-cars-%e2%80%94-north-korea-inc/#comment-55025 Chiamatt wrote: <blockquote>After reading the article, I have decided that you took it a little out of context.</blockquote> I did a bit. Your comments are very sound from what I have read too. The real issue for me is that North Korea could easily run their own assembly lines and factories for these same objects instead of sending their citizens abroad. They have the people, the skills, the dedication and the ability to achieve the highest levels of quality -- everything, to complete with other countries *yet* they do not build the factories for such.  Instead they have resources going to build nuclear devices.  It is such a lost opportunity. Chiamatt wrote:

After reading the article, I have decided that you took it a little out of context.

I did a bit. Your comments are very sound from what I have read too.

The real issue for me is that North Korea could easily run their own assembly lines and factories for these same objects instead of sending their citizens abroad. They have the people, the skills, the dedication and the ability to achieve the highest levels of quality — everything, to complete with other countries *yet* they do not build the factories for such.  Instead they have resources going to build nuclear devices.  It is such a lost opportunity.

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