ⓒYONHAP News

The U.S. has downgraded South Korea for the first time in 20 years in its annual assessment of efforts by countries to eliminate human trafficking.

In the latest “Trafficking in Persons Report” released on Tuesday, the Department of State put South Korea among 133 Tier Two countries including Japan, Norway, Switzerland, Mexico, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

South Korea was classified as a Tier Three country, the lowest on the scale, in the first edition of the report issued by the U.S. department in 2001 but was upgraded to Tier One the next year and maintained that classification until last year.

The report pointed out the lack of visible outcomes by the government and leniency in the punishment against perpetrators among other factors that critically affected South Korea’s evaluation.

Meanwhile, North Korea has remained a Tier Three country on the list for the 20th consecutive year, along with 21 other countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia.