China has reportedly accepted thousands of North Korean workers since the beginning of this year. 

Citing sources familiar with North Korea-China relations, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun daily said Friday that around three-thousand North Korean workers entered Hunchun in China’s Jilin Province in the first three months of the year, and about 500 more arrived in Dandong, Liaoning Province, in May. 

Most are reportedly young women working in garment and seafood processing factories. 

The newspaper said China’s acceptance of North Korean workers likely violates UN Security Council resolutions and speculated that the Xi Jinping administration may be aiming to rebuild ties with North Korea while securing cheap labor.

Negotiations are reportedly underway to accept North Korean workers not only in northeastern China but also in other regions. 

A source reportedly said there is no way that local governments in China could independently decide to accept North Korean workers.