Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

Is Your Phone Made with Child Labor? U.S. Officials Raise Alarms!

Daniel Kim Views  

Yonhap News

The U.S. government recently pointed out that South Korean-made indium has been produced using Bolivian zinc, which involves child labor.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor released a report on products globally produced through child and forced labor, revealing this information. The report included 204 items produced by child and forced labor from 82 countries, with South Korea being newly included.

The Department of Labor reported credible evidence that child labor is used to mine zinc in Bolivia, which is then used to produce indium in South Korea. Zinc from Bolivia was first added to the list of products made with child labor in 2010. The report reveals that boys as young as 13 often work in hazardous underground mines in Bolivia.

The Department explained that Bolivian zinc, noted for its high indium concentration, is frequently mixed with responsibly sourced zinc in global markets. In 2022, South Korea imported approximately US$385 million worth of zinc concentrates from Bolivia, which the Department claims were used in indium production. South Korea is the world’s second-largest indium producer, accounting for 22.2% of global indium supply in 2022.

Indium is a crucial raw material in conductive glass, devices with touch screens, TVs, phones, tablets, semiconductors, and solar panels. Therefore, the Department warned that raw materials made with child labor could be present in these products.

The report also noted that North Korea uses forced labor to produce bricks, cement, coal, gold, iron, textiles, and timber. Additionally, it highlighted that persecuted minorities, including Uyghurs, are forced into labor in squid processing facilities in mainland China, with North Korean workers also involved.

Daniel Kim
content@viewusglobal.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[DEBATE] Latest Stories

  • North Korea’s ‘Juche Guns’: Are They A Bigger Threat Than We Thought?
  • Why the Comanche Helicopter, One of the U.S. Military’s Most Expensive Cancellations, Was Scrapped
  • Why Dubai's Cops Are Chasing Criminals in Lambos and Bugattis
  • Kim Jong Un’s Luxury Car Collection Shocks the World Amid North Korea’s Struggles
  • Why a $42,720 Mazda Compact SUV, CX-50, Was Left in A Parking Lot of US College
  • What If Hyundai Joined the Pickup Game? Sneak Peek at a Tasman-Based Hyundai Pickup

You May Also Like

  • 1
    BMW Dominates January Imported Car Market with 5,960 Units Sold

    BUSINESS 

  • 2
    Ferrari Reveals Plans for First-Ever Electric Vehicle, Plus Six New Models

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    Kia K4 Sets New U.S. Sales Record, Surpassing Sportage and Niro Models

    BUSINESS 

  • 4
    Warning Signs of a Heart Attack You Shouldn’t Ignore

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    BMW’s Electric iX SUV Delivers Power, Comfort, and an Impressive 547 km Range

    BUSINESS 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Cadillac Unveils the Lyriq-V: 615 Horsepower, 0-60 in 3.3 Seconds, and Luxury Design

    BUSINESS 

  • 2
    Premature Babies May Have a Surprising Advantage: Lower Risk of Heart Disease

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Vanwall’s 641-Horsepower Vandervell: A Stunning New Addition to the EV Market

    BUSINESS 

  • 4
    Hyundai Kona and Ioniq 5, Kia Telluride and EV9 Win Four Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards

    BUSINESS 

  • 5
    General Motors Plans to Shift Truck Production to U.S. to Combat Tariff Impact

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Must-Reads

  • 1
    BMW Dominates January Imported Car Market with 5,960 Units Sold

    BUSINESS 

  • 2
    Ferrari Reveals Plans for First-Ever Electric Vehicle, Plus Six New Models

    BUSINESS 

  • 3
    Kia K4 Sets New U.S. Sales Record, Surpassing Sportage and Niro Models

    BUSINESS 

  • 4
    Warning Signs of a Heart Attack You Shouldn’t Ignore

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    BMW’s Electric iX SUV Delivers Power, Comfort, and an Impressive 547 km Range

    BUSINESS 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Cadillac Unveils the Lyriq-V: 615 Horsepower, 0-60 in 3.3 Seconds, and Luxury Design

    BUSINESS 

  • 2
    Premature Babies May Have a Surprising Advantage: Lower Risk of Heart Disease

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Vanwall’s 641-Horsepower Vandervell: A Stunning New Addition to the EV Market

    BUSINESS 

  • 4
    Hyundai Kona and Ioniq 5, Kia Telluride and EV9 Win Four Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards

    BUSINESS 

  • 5
    General Motors Plans to Shift Truck Production to U.S. to Combat Tariff Impact

    ENTERTAINMENT 

Share it on...