North Korea’s Kim replaces country’s defence minister in military reshuffle

North Korean workers dispatched to China are reaping a meager take-home pay despite a sharp rise in their contract wages, according to a source in North Korea. Contract wages for these workers, which were 2,500 to 2,800 Chinese yuan ($370 to $415) per person as early as last year, have surged to 3,200 to 3,500 yuan ($475 to $520) this year – a 28% increase at the low end and a 25% increase at the high end.

However, this increase is being absorbed by fees for dispatching workers, leaving workers' monthly take-home pay around 700 to 800 yuan ($105 to $120), unchanged from previous years. Chinese companies are bearing a higher cost per worker, but workers' salary remains the same. North Korean workers sent abroad do not receive their full wages directly; instead, the wages are managed collectively by North Korea’s dispatch agencies, with only a portion paid each month as living expenses.

The rest is deducted for various reasons, including "loyalty funds," mandatory contributions toward state and leadership-related projects, or state plan contributions. Despite the increased contract wages, workers feel no change in their living standards.