The Korean War of 1950-1953 cemented the division of the Korean people and left thousands of families separated. The times before and during the conflict saw the continuous movement of refugees up and down the peninsula, following the ebb and flow of war and famine on the land. After 1953 the border between North and South Korea became less permeable and the movement of people across the 38th parallel ground to a virtual halt. The years following the Korean War witnessed the occasional defection, most often for political reasons and usually so-called ‘high-value’ defections. These included several high-ranking military personal