Russian companies scale down requests for low-skilled NKorean labor.

24/8 Tass 223a

KHABAROVSK, August 24 (Itar-Tass) - Russian companies have 956 North
Korean personnel working at timber companies of the Amur region. They are
employed in the Tynda, Zeisk and Selemdzha districts, regional authorities
said on Tuesday.
Deputy chairman of the regional government Nikolai Savelyev said at
the Tuesday conference over cooperation with North Korea in the timber
sector that "Amur region companies have been scaling down their requests
for labor force from North Korea."
Timber industry experts said the main reasons behind the low demand
for North Koran workers are their low skills and insufficient experience.
Also, there is a shortage of personnel in much needed specialties.
Ze Park, the director of Wondon Rimob, an affiliate of North Korea's
main department for timber industry, assured that they "will take into
account the Russian partners' recommendations" and that North Korea
henceforth will pay more attention to selecting and training the personnel
sent to work in Russia."
Ze Park noted that "North Korean have been logging timber in the Amur
region for 35 years. He named the reasons and the factors that negatively
affect the productivity of labor of North Korea's workforce, such as the
frequent replacement of personnel due to changes in the Russian
legislation. Under the recent amendments, North Korean workers cannot stay
in Russia more than three years.
The North Korean representative also drew attention to the fact of
wage delays at three Amur region companies.
The regional government bodies have been instructed to take the wage
payment issue under control. Russia may start inviting more North Korean
workers to the timber industry if North Korea meets the Russian partners'
recommendations, the regional authorities said.
-0-myz/gor


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