Malta Becomes First EU State to Deport North Korean Workers

Some 20 North Korean workers who had worked at construction sites and clothes factories have been deported from Malta, The Korea Herald reports.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – Malta is the first EU state to take this measure, which was prompted by concerns that Pyongyang was using the workers to earn hard currency, government sources told the newspaper on Thursday.

According to the sources, North Korean workers in Malta are reportedly getting only one third of their pay, while the rest is being sent to the North Korean government.

Malta denied the 20 workers extension for their expiring visas, the sources said.