Kim Jong-un’s grip on North Korea has never been stronger due to coronavirus and crystal meth smuggling, experts claim.
Human traffickers would reportedly rather export methamphetamine, which has bigger profits and fewer risks, than people. It's estimated that the price to smuggle one person is around $20,000 (£14,270).
The Sun reports the pandemic has made it almost impossible for people to escape the country - while starving people are forced to eat grass and dirt.
Pastor Chun Ki-won, known as the “Godfather of North Korean Defectors” has urged President Joe Biden to put pressure on China to help the Koreans' plight.
Chun has already saved more 1,200 people from the regime - leading groups of absconders through Asia by foot, truck and trains.
His nickname in America is "Asia’s Schindler”, in reference of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved 1,200 Jewish people during World War 2.
The pastor runs the Durihana Mission in Seoul, but his operations have stopped during the pandemic.
Speaking on behalf of Chun, Pastor Ryan Ellsworth from the group, told The Sun : “Ever since Kim came to power, he’s worked consistently to ramp up border security, putting heavy duty guns on the border to replace soldiers, tightened things up.
"Previously, they could be given money to look away as they were starving, but that’s stopped.
"Covid has helped North Korea in terms of secrecy, its surveillance techniques are getting better."
He said there's been a cracking down on the Chinese Church, which used to help.
"Now it’s too risky, people are in prison who have helped, or have to flee for their own lives," he added.
People in North Korea are now so desperate that they’re eating grass and dirt as experts warn another famine is imminent like in the nineties, claims pastor Ryan.
