World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 day ago
North Korea condemns US trafficking report after 24th straight Tier 3 rating
The US State Department placed North Korea in Tier 3, its lowest category for efforts to combat human trafficking, in its 2026 report.
This was the 24th consecutive year North Korea received that rating.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry called the report a politically motivated provocation and rejected its findings.
The US report said North Korea used forced labor in political prison camps and labor training centers, and used proceeds to fund government operations.
It also said many North Koreans working overseas faced excessive hours, sometimes hazardous conditions, and lacked access to their passports.
North Korea said US human rights reports were intended to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.
It warned that the reports would be a priority target for its strongest response to the United States, alongside other hostile actions.
North Korea condemned the U.S. State Department’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report as a politically motivated provocation.
The report placed North Korea in Tier 3, the lowest category for anti-human-trafficking efforts.
North Korea has been placed in Tier 3 for 24 consecutive years, according to the articles.
The State Department said North Korea used political prison camps and labor training centers as part of a system of political repression.
North Korea rejected the report and said U.S. human rights reports were intended to justify interference in other countries’ internal affairs.
- Who
- North Korea’s Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department
- What
- North Korea denounced a U.S. report that placed it in the lowest tier for anti-human-trafficking efforts.
- When
- The report was released on October 8, 2026; North Korea responded on October 10.
- Where
- North Korea and the United States
- Why
- The U.S. report cited human trafficking and forced labor; North Korea said the report was politically motivated and hostile.
U.S. State Department
North Korea
North Korea’s trafficking record
U.S. State Department
The State Department placed North Korea in Tier 3, the lowest category for anti-human-trafficking efforts.
North Korea
North Korea rejected the report, calling it full of lies, fabrications, prejudice and hostility.
Forced labor and political repression
U.S. State Department
The State Department said North Korea had a government policy or pattern of trafficking in political prison camps and labor training centers, and used proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor to fund government operations.
North Korea
North Korea said the report was intended to interfere in its internal affairs and undermine its social system.
Purpose of the report
U.S. State Department
The State Department’s report assessed countries’ efforts to address human trafficking.
North Korea
North Korea said the report politicized and weaponized human rights as part of Washington’s hostile policy toward Pyongyang.
Recently the U.S. Department of State committed another grave politically-motivated provocation of malignantly slandering the DPRK through the '2026 Trafficking in Persons Report' which is full of lies, fabrications, prejudice and hostility,
This clearly proved once again the U.S. vicious and malicious intention to politicize and weaponize human rights and use them as the primary lever for its hostile policy toward the DPRK.
The U.S. 'human rights' racket against the DPRK, which poses a serious threat to the DPRK's sovereign rights and the rights and interests of its citizens, will be the first target of the toughest counteraction against the U.S. together with other hostile acts,
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Report
- 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report
- North Korea's ranking
- Tier 3, the lowest category
- Consecutive years in Tier 3
- 24
- Report release
- October 8, 2026
- North Korean response
- October 10, 2026
Sources
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