North Korean Workers Making Flooring in China, Reports AP

Washington, DC, October 20, 2017-The North Korean government sends laborers into Hunchun, China to make hardwood flooring that could be exported to the U.S., says the Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association.

The revenue received by the North Korean government-for a variety of jobs in China, including seafood processing-is estimated at $200 to $500 million every year and funds a part of its nuclear weapons and missiles program, according to the Associated Press. “The North Korean workers found in Chinese factories aren’t allowed to leave, and receive only a fraction of their pay-most goes straight to the North Korean state,” the publication reports.

While the international community is applying sanctions to North Korea as a deterrent for its nuclear program, this is a way in which the country is still gaining access to international dollars.

Furthermore, It is against U.S. law to import products made by North Korean workers or benefit from their work.