Inside Hanawon, where North Koreans learn the capitalist way of life



Evergreen Inside Hanawon, where North Koreans learn the capitalist way of life In first press visit to the center in three years, NK News toured the controversial "House of Unity" Donald Kirk November 28, 2016 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Korea_Liberation_Day_12 by KOREA.NET - Official page of the Republic of Korea on 2012-08-14 13:22:40 South Korea’s principal center for indoctrinating and training North Korean defectors into the ways of life in the South offers a startling contrast to the outcry on the streets of Seoul and elsewhere against President Park Geun-hye and her closest advisers. At Hanawon, meaning “House of Unity,” a campus-like cluster of brick and concrete buildings nestled on a hillside 80 kilometers south of the South Korean capital, defectors get lessons not only in how to manage a bank account and find jobs, but also in democracy and capitalism. It’s those latter two subjects that are hardest for defectors from the © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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Inside Hanawon, where North Koreans learn the capitalist way of life

In first press visit to the center in three years, NK News toured the controversial "House of Unity"

Donald Kirk November 28, 2016

Inside Hanawon, where North Koreans learn the capitalist way of life

Korea_Liberation_Day_12 by KOREA.NET - Official page of the Republic of Korea on 2012-08-14 13:22:40

South Korea’s principal center for indoctrinating and training North Korean defectors into the ways of life in the South offers a startling contrast to the outcry on the streets of Seoul and elsewhere against President Park Geun-hye and her closest advisers.

At Hanawon, meaning “House of Unity,” a campus-like cluster of brick and concrete buildings nestled on a hillside 80 kilometers south of the South Korean capital, defectors get lessons not only in how to manage a bank account and find jobs, but also in democracy and capitalism.

It’s those latter two subjects that are hardest for defectors from the

About the Author

Donald Kirk

Donald Kirk is a veteran correspondent and noted author on conflict and crisis from Southeast Asia to the Middle East to Northeast Asia. Don has covered wars from Vietnam to Iraq, focusing on political, diplomatic, economic and social as well as military issues. He is also known for his reporting on North Korea, including the nuclear crisis, human rights and payoffs from South to North Korea preceding the June 2000 inter-Korean summit. Kirk earned his Bachelors at Princeton and a Masters in International Relations from the University of Chicago. He also holds an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of Maryland College Park.

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