A frenzy of Korean media reports have alleged that three North Koreans working in Malta “defected to South Korea.”

A number of Korean media reports, from print to television, went on to say that one of the defectors is a construction worker thought to now be living in South Korea after defecting from the island last year.

The other two defectors, according to reports, escaped from a Pyonyang-run restaurant, called ‘The Garden’ in Malta. It was reported that the restaurant, just one of 130 that North Korea operates in 12 countries to earn foreign currency, closed after six months.

The two workers who defected from the restaurant are said to be a middle-aged man and a woman in her twenties.

Reports emerged after unknown government sources confirmed with Yonhap, a Korean newsroom, that the Maltese government has denied visa extensions for 20 North Korean workers, effectively sending them back to North Korea. There are growing concerns about the North Korean practice of sending workers to Europe, exploiting them through inhumane working conditions and then seizing the majority of their earnings in order to boost state coffers.

Yonhap quoted “diplomatic sources in Valletta” as saying that such a move has come about after diplomatic pressure from South Korea as well as a number of human rights NGOs.  The newsroom also reported that all 20 North Koreans who had their visa extension rejected, have been returned back to North Korea.

Questions sent to the government asking to confirm that visa extensions have been withdrawn, asking to confirm whether this came about as a result of South Korean diplomatic pressure, whether three North Koreans defected while working in Malta and lastly on what basis were the North Korean work-visa applications approved in the first place remained unanswered by the time of going to print.

Reports follow that the Government denied the extension of visa applications for 20 North Koreans in Malta who were working at a construction company and a clothing company. The companies are reported as Rite Mix and Leisure Clothing.

 A senior executive at Rite Mix was quoted on the Korea Times as saying that “it (Rite Mix) had 15 North Korean employees, but they stopped working in late May. I heard some of the North Koreans sought to land jobs at other construction companies after our management did not renew their contracts. They now plan to go back to Pyonyang after having difficulties in extending their work permits.”

A Korean news station has reported that both companies confirmed all North Korean workers are no longer working at the respective factories.

In 2014, concerns were raised about the badworking conditions of Chinese factory workers at Leisure Clothing. It later emerged that North Korean workers were awaiting clearance in order to begin working there.

Local media reports revealed that in July 2015, a total of 36 North Koreans made up the Leisure Clothing workforce, a slight majority of the total workforce. It was said that prior to 2013, there were no North Koreans employed with Leisure Clothing.

North Korea has been under growing international pressure as a result of its nuclear testing, last January. This led to a new UN Security Council resolution in March which seeks to tighten sanctions against Pyonyang. “South Korea has been making diplomatic efforts to engage North Korea’s old allies to press for change in the isolated states,” a number of Korean media said.

Many reports stated that Malta is seen as having the closest ties with North Korea out of all European countries, with diplomatic ties being established in 1971. In light of this, it is also being said that the government’s reported move of refusing to extend North Korean visa applications, and effectively opposing the slave-like conditions which the secretive regime is said to be profiting off, is a big move and should lead to more European nations following suit.

Korea Times also quoted a South Korean official, who chose to remain anonymous: “It seemed that the Maltese government did not pay much attention to such exploitation of North Koreans until media outlets in Malta began to cover related stories and calls began to rise to take responsible measures.

“The Maltese government never made it explicit that it was deporting North Koreans but it is believed to be taking requests from South Korea and human rights groups into account in its measures.”