Current_Trends_and_Related_Challenges_web

Migrant Smuggling in Asia
Republic of Korea 4 993 3 934 3 215 2 625 2 028
Sri Lanka 1 432 1 171 624 449 303
Thailand 2 020 1 832 1 475 1 108 786
United States 168 124 176 258 218
Viet Nam 1 708 1 373 887 717 592
TOTAL 39 382 32 661 24 213 20 659 15 178 -
smuggling of migrants in Asia.
Irregular migration from DPR Korea is directed
almost exclusively into neighbouring China or
the Republic of Korea. 14 Once in China, some DPR
Korea nationals are smuggled across the country
and across South-East Asia to reach the Republic
of Korea. Recent estimates by the United Nations
place the number of irregular DPR Korea migrants
in China at approximately 7,500 adults and
between 15,000 and 25,000 children. Some nongovernment
organizations estimate vastly greater
figures. 15
The Republic of Korea is a principle destination
country for irregular migrants from DPR Korea
and smaller numbers from Cambodia, China,
Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the
Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. 16 A few
nationals from the Republic of Korea irregularly
migrate to North America, which is at times
facilitated by smugglers. 17 Information on the
smuggling of migrants and the levels of irregular
migration to the Republic of Korea is limited.
Researchers estimated in 2011 that some 168,450
irregular migrants live in the Republic of Korea. 18
Other researchers estimated that approximately
2,000 DPR Korea nationals have arrived in the
Republic of Korea each year since 2006. 19 And a
third source estimated that some 20,000 DPR
Korea nationals were residing there in 2012. 20
There is evidence of migrant smuggling from
Mongolia to the Czech Republic, Estonia, the
Republic of Korea and Slovakia. 21 Based on
the numbers of Mongolian nationals detected
attempting illegal entry or detected in a situation
of illegal residence reported by countries that
provided information to UNODC (see Annex
Tables A4.24 and A4.25), irregular migration and
the smuggling of migrants from Mongolia seem
not to take place at a significant scale.
5.2 Push and pull factors in East Asia related to
the smuggling of migrants and other irregular
migration
Irregular migration within and out of East Asia
is mainly driven by economic factors (economic
disparities, prospects for better economic
opportunities and higher wages) and political
factors, which are influential in some countries.
Table 46. Economic data for East Asia, 2012
Total population GDP per capita Unemployment Labour force
participation
(PPP) in US$
China 1 350 695 000 9 083 4.1%** 71%
DPR Korea 24 763 188 1 800* – 78%
Hong Kong (China) 7 154 600 51 103 3.3% 59%
Japan 127 561 489 35 178 4.3% 59%
Macau (China) 556 783 86 341 2.6% 71%
Mongolia 2 796 484 5 374 4.8% 62%
Republic of Korea 50 004 000 30 801 3.2% 61%
Sources: Total population=World Bank, Population, total. Available from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL (accessed 6 April 2014); GDP=Unless
stated otherwise, World Bank, GDP per capita, (PPP) (current international $). Available from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD (accessed
6 April 2014); *= Central Intelligence Agency, CIA Factbook (Washington, D.C., 2011); unemployment=unless stated otherwise: World Bank, Unemployment, total
(% of total labor force). Available from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS (accessed 6 April 2014); **= International Monetary Fund, Report for
Selected Countries and Subjects (Washington, D.C., 2013); labour force=World Bank, Labor force participation. Available from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/
SL.TLF.TOTL.IN (accessed 6 April 2014).
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