< Cash for Kim

Cash For Kim | VICE

Laura | 03. November 2016

Two years ago on a polish shipyard a horrible accident took place, where a welder operator died from his burns. Not only were the circumstances that led to the accident questionable. Also the origin of the man left unanswered questions behind. Namely the deceased man came from North-Korea.

Northkorean workers, that are exploited in the middle of the EU?

This VICE documentary “Cash for Kim” sheds light to a scandalous topic that we do not know much about. European firms take care of lucrative business relationships with state firms from North-Korea: “The world biggest illegal Employment Agency”. To avoid the international sanctions, Kim Jong-un sends around 50,000 forced labourers abroad, to generate billions for the regime. And Poland seems to be the country right at the forefront, exploiting these workers. 

VICE filmmakers Sebastian Weis and Manuel Freundt spoke not only to international experts on this matter, but also directly with forced labourers from North Korea to reveal more in depth information about the horrible conditions they lived through. Many of the forced labourers did not want to answer any questions, fearing not only for their own safety, but also their families. Furthermore a dubious business manager comes to word, who employs North Korean workers.  „Cash For Kim“ shows again the fact that economic interest trumps human rights again and again.

Further developments: Two weeks after the VICE documentary was released online, the polish foreign minister announced that North Koreans were not anymore able to enter their country. The official reason was that the support of the international sanctions against the North-Korean nuclear program. Surely the information that VICE News revealed played a role in the decision making as well.

Translation: Aimée

Kategorien: English