US keeps S. Korea in Tier 1 group for human trafficking elimination efforts for 3rd straight year
Summary
The U.S. State Department kept South Korea in the highest anti-human-trafficking tier in its 2026 report, while North Korea remained in the lowest tier. South Korea stayed in Tier 1 for the third consecutive year after increasing investigations and convictions and improving emergency support guidelines for potential victims. The report criticized weak sentencing and the disproportionately low pursuit of adult sex-trafficking and labor-trafficking cases. North Korea remained in Tier 3 for the 24th consecutive year over state-sponsored forced labor.
Key Facts
- South Korea was one of 33 countries and territories listed in Tier 1, alongside the United States, Britain, Taiwan, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Israel and Denmark.
- The report said South Korea demonstrated serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, but weak sentencing undermined accountability for traffickers.
- North Korea was placed in Tier 3 alongside China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Afghanistan and Cambodia.
- The report described forced labor in North Korean political prison camps, labor training centers, mass mobilizations and overseas worker programs as part of a government policy or pattern of human trafficking.
- The report said North Korea used proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor to fund government operations and that many overseas workers faced excessive hours, hazardous conditions and restricted access to passports.
A general view of a U.S. State Department sign outside the U.S. State Department building in Washington D.C. Yonhap
The U.S. State Department has kept South Korea in the highest tier of countries in terms of anti-human trafficking efforts for the third consecutive year, while maintaining North Korea in the lowest category over state-sponsored forced labor practices, a department report showed Thursday.
The department released the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, where South Korea was listed in the Tier 1 group of 33 countries and territories, including the United States, Britain, Taiwan, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Israel and Denmark.
In its tier placement, the report cited various efforts by Seoul, including increasing investigations and convictions, updating guidelines to provide potential victims with access to emergency support among other efforts.
"The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period. Therefore, the ROK remained on Tier 1," the report said, referring to South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
However, the report also noted that weak sentencing undermined accountability for traffickers in South Korea, while concluding that the number of cases of adult sex trafficking and labor trafficking pursued by law enforcement remained "disproportionately low compared to estimates of the scale of the crime."
The department put North Korea in the Tier 3 group that includes China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Afghanistan and Cambodia. Pyongyang was placed in the lowest tier for the 24th consecutive year.
It pointed out that the North Korean government did not demonstrate any meaningful efforts to address human trafficking.
"During the reporting period, there was a government policy or pattern of human trafficking in political prison camps and 'labor training centers' as part of an established system of political repression, in the mass mobilizations of adults and children, and in the imposition of forced labor conditions on North Korean workers overseas," it said.
It concluded that the North used proceeds from state-sponsored forced labor to fund government operations.
Furthermore, the department assessed that many North Koreans working overseas are subjected to excessive working hours and sometimes work in hazardous conditions and without access to their passports.
"These workers face threats of government reprisals against them or their relatives in the DPRK if they attempt to escape or complain to outside parties, it said. DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
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