![KakaoTalk_20190422_084906213 (1) North Korean workers returning to North Korea via the customs office in Dandong in March 2019](https://www.dailynk.com/english/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/07/KakaoTalk_20190422_084906213-1-696x464.jpg)
The North Korean government is currently investigating the whereabouts of missing workers as part of a census of citizens working abroad, focusing on those in Russia, China, and Mongolia. Workers who have defected to South Korea are facing consequences, including punishment for their family members back in North Korea.
Defections among North Koreans stationed overseas have increased during the pandemic, leading North Korean authorities to tighten control over these individuals and prevent further defections. North Korea has ordered the confiscation of cell phones owned by workers in Russia, aiming to prevent communication with outside sources that could aid in defection attempts.
The cooperation between North Korea and Russia in surveillance and control efforts indicates a growing alliance, emphasizing the importance of preventing defections among North Koreans working in Russia.
Translated by David Carruth. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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