New research has revealed the critical role that international waters play in North Korea’s illegal overseas labor schemes. Traditionally seen as a lifeline to circumvent sanctions imposed for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the maritime domain now appears to play a role in the regime’s broader network of clandestine labor operations.

Part of this illegal overseas labor scheme includes forcing North Korean fishermen to work on distant-water fishing fleets in the Indian Ocean, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) on Monday. Distant water fishing refers to fleets that operate outside their own countries' exclusive economic zones, often traveling long distances to catch lucrative fish.