The United States has again rated North Korea among the worst countries in fighting human trafficking.

In its Trafficking in Persons Report 2011 released on Monday, the U.S. State Department placed 22 countries, including North Korea, Myanmar, Iran and Cuba, in Tier Three.
Countries in that category are considered not to "fully comply with the minimum standards in curbing human trafficking and are not making significant efforts to do so.”

The report said the North “is a source country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor, forced marriage, and sex trafficking.”
The report added that in the event victims of such trafficking are found by Chinese authorities, they are deported back to the North where “they may face harsh punishment and may be subject to forced labor in labor camps.”

The report assessed 184 nations, including the U.S., and placed each country in one of three tiers, with Tier Three including countries with the worst antitrafficking performance.

North Korea has remained in that category since the State Department began the survey in 2003.