Press Releases

Release of the Third Report of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT)

September 16, 2026
Japanese

On September 16, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) released its third report on the theme of “North Korea’s Oveaseas Labour.” On this occasion, the MSMT participating states also released a joint statement.

  1. The third report of the MSMT points out that at least 17 countries continue to host an estimated 35,600 to 101,280 North Korean workers in total in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSCR) requiring the repatriation of North Korean workers to North Korea. These workers are estimated to have generated between $450 million and $800 million per year. In particular, the report highlights ongoing sanctions violations and evasions such as China’s hosting of an estimated 20,000 to 70,000 North Korean workers in manufacturing, construction, restaurant, and other industries, Russia’s hosting of an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 North Korean workers in military drone manufacturing, steel processing, shipbuilding, agriculture, and other industries, and the increasing trend in the issuance of student and other visas for their entry. Countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and other regions are also hosting North Korean workers.
  2. Against this backdrop, the MSMT participating states underscore their shared determination to fully implement relevant UNSCRs in the joint statement.
  3. The Government of Japan will continue to work closely with the international community, including the MSMT participating states, to promote the full implementation of relevant UNSCRs and call for the complete dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

(Reference1) Attachment

(Reference2) Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT)

In October 2024, like-minded countries including Japan established the MSMT in response to the termination of the mandate of the Panel of Experts for the United Nations Security Council 1718 Sanctions Committee in April 2024. The MSMT is an initiative to ensure the effectiveness of relevant UNSCRs through pointing out and reporting the cases of North Korea’s sanctions violations and evasions. The MSMT released its first report on the theme of “Unlawful Military Cooperation including Arms Transfers between North Korea and Russia” in May2025 and its second report on the theme of “The DPRK’s Cyber and Information Technology (IT) Worker Activities” in October 2025. As of September 16, 2026, the participating states are Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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