Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07WARSAW395
2007-02-21 09:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Warsaw
Cable title:
POLAND (QUIETLY) ENDING NORTH KOREAN LABORER
how-toVZCZCXRO2859 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHWR #0395 0520912 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 210912Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3268 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0744 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0596 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE PRIORITY 3282 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0420 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG PRIORITY 0003 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1382
C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000395
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/NCE FOR BART PUTNEY
G/TIP FOR MEGAN HALL
DRL FOR PETER SAWCHYN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB EZ KN PL
SUBJECT: POLAND (QUIETLY) ENDING NORTH KOREAN LABORER
PROGRAM
REF: 06 PRAGUE 104
Classified By: Classified by Acting Political Counselor David T. Morris
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 000395
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/NCE FOR BART PUTNEY
G/TIP FOR MEGAN HALL
DRL FOR PETER SAWCHYN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB EZ KN PL
SUBJECT: POLAND (QUIETLY) ENDING NORTH KOREAN LABORER
PROGRAM
REF: 06 PRAGUE 104
Classified By: Classified by Acting Political Counselor David T. Morris
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On February 16, Poloff met with Piotr Mierecki,
Director of the Department of Migration Policy at the
Ministry of Interior. Mierecki indicated that the GOP has
taken a decision internally to end the North Korean work
program, under which 25 North Korean welders are working at
the Gdansk Stockyards. While the policy is neither
formalized nor publicly acknowledged yet, an
inter-ministerial group has decided that it will not renew
existing work permits when they expire, nor will it issue
future permits to new laborers.
2. (U) The North Korean worker situation came to light in
Poland in March 2006, when the press reported that North
Koreans were employed at the Gdansk Shipyards by the firm
Selene Ltd., which outsourced labor to a DPRK company. Press
reports indicated that the men often work up to 12 or 14
hours per day, sometimes seven days per week. As in the
Czech Republic, almost all of the workers' salary was sent
directly to the North Korean government. In response, the
GOP dispatched the State Labor Inspectorate (PIP) to
investigate working conditions and found that aside from some
labor safety issues all was in order. Those safety
issues--improper work clothing, no safety helmets, etc.--were
promptly addressed by the employer.
3. (C) Post has made repeated inquiries to various
authorities in the GOP over the last year about the DPRK
workers. Officials at the MFA, MOL, Interior Ministry, and
National Police (PNP) continually pled powerlessness in the
matter, claiming that since there was a legal contract for
outsourced labor there were no legal violations taking place.
Privately, however, they admitted that the presence of what
amounted to forced labor in Poland--at the very birthplace of
the Solidarity movement, no less--was an embarrassment to the
nation.
4. (C) Head of the PNP's Central Unit on Anti-Trafficking in
Persons (CATU) Pawel Maslowski told Poloff that
investigations showed that the North Koreans are living in
satisfactory quarters and receiving decent nourishment.
However, the workers go immediately from work to their
barracks, never go out in public, and are told that their
families back in the DPRK will suffer if they attempt to
defect. Attempts by the police to talk with the workers were
refused and referred to the foreman.
5. (C) Mierecki stated that there is no concrete plan as to
when the GOP will officially notify the DPRK or make the
decision public.
HILLAS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
EUR/NCE FOR BART PUTNEY
G/TIP FOR MEGAN HALL
DRL FOR PETER SAWCHYN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB EZ KN PL
SUBJECT: POLAND (QUIETLY) ENDING NORTH KOREAN LABORER
PROGRAM
REF: 06 PRAGUE 104
Classified By: Classified by Acting Political Counselor David T. Morris
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On February 16, Poloff met with Piotr Mierecki,
Director of the Department of Migration Policy at the
Ministry of Interior. Mierecki indicated that the GOP has
taken a decision internally to end the North Korean work
program, under which 25 North Korean welders are working at
the Gdansk Stockyards. While the policy is neither
formalized nor publicly acknowledged yet, an
inter-ministerial group has decided that it will not renew
existing work permits when they expire, nor will it issue
future permits to new laborers.
2. (U) The North Korean worker situation came to light in
Poland in March 2006, when the press reported that North
Koreans were employed at the Gdansk Shipyards by the firm
Selene Ltd., which outsourced labor to a DPRK company. Press
reports indicated that the men often work up to 12 or 14
hours per day, sometimes seven days per week. As in the
Czech Republic, almost all of the workers' salary was sent
directly to the North Korean government. In response, the
GOP dispatched the State Labor Inspectorate (PIP) to
investigate working conditions and found that aside from some
labor safety issues all was in order. Those safety
issues--improper work clothing, no safety helmets, etc.--were
promptly addressed by the employer.
3. (C) Post has made repeated inquiries to various
authorities in the GOP over the last year about the DPRK
workers. Officials at the MFA, MOL, Interior Ministry, and
National Police (PNP) continually pled powerlessness in the
matter, claiming that since there was a legal contract for
outsourced labor there were no legal violations taking place.
Privately, however, they admitted that the presence of what
amounted to forced labor in Poland--at the very birthplace of
the Solidarity movement, no less--was an embarrassment to the
nation.
4. (C) Head of the PNP's Central Unit on Anti-Trafficking in
Persons (CATU) Pawel Maslowski told Poloff that
investigations showed that the North Koreans are living in
satisfactory quarters and receiving decent nourishment.
However, the workers go immediately from work to their
barracks, never go out in public, and are told that their
families back in the DPRK will suffer if they attempt to
defect. Attempts by the police to talk with the workers were
refused and referred to the foreman.
5. (C) Mierecki stated that there is no concrete plan as to
when the GOP will officially notify the DPRK or make the
decision public.
HILLAS