VOA慢速英语:报道称朝鲜海外务工者薪水少

A new report describes abuses suffered by North Koreans who are sent to work outside the country.

一个最新报道称朝鲜被输送的海外劳工受虐待一事。

A South Korean human rights organization prepared the report. The group says North Koreans working overseas are often forced to live in prison-like conditions. It says the North Korean government takes 90 percent of the wages they earn. That brings billions of dollars to the North.

韩国人权组织发表了这一报道。该组织成朝鲜海外劳工经常被迫居住在监狱式条件下。还说朝鲜政府克扣海外劳工90%的工资，这回给朝鲜方面带来数十亿美元的利润。

The Database Center for North Korean Human Rights in Seoul says its report is based on statements from 20 North Korean defectors. Most were sent to work in nine countries. The 20 have refused to return to North Korea.

首尔朝鲜人权数据基地中心表示这一报道根据来源于20名朝鲜劳工叙述。大部分劳工被送往九个国家工作。这20个人拒绝回到朝鲜。

One defector described the experience of working in another country as "harsher than the life in prison camps in North Korea."

其中一个逃工称在海外打工经历简直比生活在朝鲜集中营还痛苦。

Lee Sung-joo is a researcher with the center. She says workers often lack even the simplest living necessities.

数据中心一位研究员Lee Sung-joo说工人们往往缺乏最简单的生活必需品。

She says the workers are living in shelters or containers where heating or cooling systems and water are not provided.

她说工人们居住在避难营或者没有冷暖系统的集装箱，并且没有水源供应。

South Korea's foreign ministry estimates that North Korea has sent about 50,000 laborers to 40 countries. The laborers are often asked to do demanding physical labor. They may work up to 15 hours a day in factories, farms or construction sites.

韩国外交部估计朝鲜向40个国家输送了近50000个劳动力。工人们经常被要求做体力劳动，在工厂，农场或者建筑工地工作长达15个小时。

The defectors said their wages were paid directly to the North Korean government. The workers would then receive only 10 percent of the amount they earned. The Database Center for North Korean Human Rights estimates this brings in more than $2 billion a year for the North Korean government.

逃工说他们的薪水会直接支付给朝鲜政府，工人只能拿到10%的薪水。朝鲜人权数据基地中心估计这回给朝鲜政府每年带来20亿美元的利润。

Jung Jae-ho worked on the report. He says this money eases the effect of international sanctions imposed on North Korea. Foreign countries approved the measures to punish the North for its nuclear weapons program.

该组织工作人员Jung Jae-ho说这笔资金会用来缓解国际社会对朝鲜经济制裁的影响。国外已经同意采取措施就朝鲜核武器计划对其进行制裁。

He says North Korea sends workers overseas to get money for the government. At the same time, it blocks change that the international community wants to see from the country.

他说朝鲜向海外输送劳动力替政府挣钱，同时又封锁了国际社会希望看到的革命和改变。

North Korea has denied past accusations of abusing workers. It has said these claims are part of an effort to overthrow the government.

朝鲜否认过去虐待劳工一事，并说这是想推翻政府的行为。

Life overseas could be difficult for North Korean laborers. But the defectors say the jobs were highly sought after. They also say the positions offered better wages than most could earn in North Korea, even after the government took its cut.

对于朝鲜海外劳工来讲他们的生活并不容易，但是逃工们都说尽管如此薪水也比在国内要多，他们还说尽管政府克扣他们的工资，但是在海外工作还是要比国内挣得多。

The rights group says North Korea employed government minders to watch the workers. The report says the laborers are not permitted to move about freely, nor permitted contact with the local population. It says the workers faced physical punishment or being forcibly returned to North Korea for violating internal rules or attempting to escape.

人权组织称朝鲜雇佣政府监察人员对劳工进行监察。报道称工人不允许自由活动，也不允许与当地人进行接触。还说工人如果违反内部规定或者试图逃跑就会面临体罚或者被遣送回国。

Cho Jung-hyun is a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. He says North Korea could be brought to court for slave labor through the International Labor Organization at the International Criminal Court.

Cho Jung-hyun是韩国国家外交学院教授，他说朝鲜可能会被国际劳工组织因奴隶工人带上国际刑事法院。

He says although North Korea is not a member of the ILO, the issue may be raised if a country importing North Korean labors is a member.

他说尽管朝鲜不是国际劳工组织成员国，但是如果接收朝鲜劳工的国家属于该组织成员则该案件成立。

The defectors named eight countries that use North Korean laborers. The eight are China, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Libya. The ninth country was identified as an unnamed country in Eastern Europe.

逃工说出了八个使用朝鲜劳工的国家，这八个国家分别为中国，俄罗斯，新加坡，马来西亚，科威特，卡塔尔，阿拉伯联合酋长国和利比亚。第九个国家没有说出名字，但是为东欧的一个国家。

The United Nations is currently considering a resolution to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate North Korea for crimes against humanity. However, the resolution would likely be vetoed by North Korea's allies, China or Russia, if it is brought to a vote at the UN Security Council.

联合国目前正在考虑要求国际刑事法院就反人权罪名展开调查，然而如果这一案件带上国际刑事法院的话可能会遭到朝鲜盟友中国和俄罗斯的反对。

I'm Jim Tedder.

Reporter Youmi Kim prepared this story for VOA. Mario Ritter wrote it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in This Story

defector - n. one who leaves a country, political party or organization and goes to a different one

impose - v. to cause (something, such as a tax, fine, rule, or punishment) to affect someone or something by using your authority

minders - n. a person whose job it is to look after someone, to follow someone