China refuses visas to N.K. workers

Visa disputes may signal souring relations between North Korea and China.

N.K. businesses may be forced to close

China has refused to grant residence permits to North Korean workers at North Korean restaurants and companies in Chinese territory, putting restaurants at risk for closure. The move is part of a policy that seeks to promote the hiring of Chinese workers for low-paying jobs.

A source in Beijing familiar with North Korean affairs said Sunday that the Chinese government stopped issuing residence permits to North Koreans working in China at the end of last year, even though China had for a long time granted one-year work permits for persons in possession of North Korean passports, as long as they reported their place of employment to the government within one month of arrival.

As a result of the decision, North Korean workers at restaurants in Beijing, Shenyang, and other cities are having to return to the North as their permits expire. The source said that some 400 workers who were supposed to begin working at two new restaurants in Dandong and one each in the cities of Beijing, Shenyang, Dalian, and Tianjin have been unable to enter China.

Reportedly, China has told North Korea to instruct citizens to obtain work visas at the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang, rather than within China. It is also said to have told North Korean authorities to hire Chinese workers at its restaurants within China, rather than North Koreans.

Currently there are an estimated 20 North Korean restaurants in China, known for their singing and dancing waitresses. Some patrons predict the mood and atmosphere of the restaurants would be significantly altered by the new policy.

China’s move is not expected to alter the practice of not requiring North Korean visitors to China, and vice versa, to have entrance visas as long as they hold official passports.

Lee Sang-su, [e-mail]