Special to WorldTribune.com

By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com

North Korea’s young ruler Kim Jong-Un, who poured scarce hard currency into political events to celebrate his formal rise to power, has issued an order to send as many workers as possible abroad to earn much-needed cash, even at the risk of defections, sources in Seoul say.

The North plans to send 10,000 workers overseas this year to earn hard currency, according to the Chosun Ilbo.

Kim told the government to “send as many workers as possible abroad [and] never mind the risk of defections,” the newspaper quoted a government source in Seoul as saying.

The move is a “unconventional position given that the North Korean regime has tried to limit the number of workers abroad to prevent contamination by foreign influences,” the report said.

“Sanctions by the international community have dried up North Korea’s sources of cash,” the source said.

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  international sanctions, Kim Jong-Un exports workers to import cash after spending half annual budget on celebration, risk of defections, scarce hard currency