NK News (file photo) | An elderly North Korean man by a riverside in Sariwon in Sept. 2015
Living circumstances, access to education and mental wellness are what North Korean defectors struggle the most with after reaching South Korea, according to a new government survey.
The Ministry of Unification surveyed more than 1,500 defectors from Nov. 26 to Dec. 27 last year to better tailor support policies for the community. A multiple-option question on resettlement difficulties included family issues, education, addictions, mental health and COVID-related unemployment.
Living circumstances, access to education and mental wellness are what North Korean defectors struggle the most with after reaching South Korea, according to a new government survey.
The Ministry of Unification surveyed more than 1,500 defectors from Nov. 26 to Dec. 27 last year to better tailor support policies for the community. A multiple-option question on resettlement difficulties included family issues, education, addictions, mental health and COVID-related unemployment.
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Jeongmin Kim is the Lead Correspondent at NK News and Editorial Director at KOREA PRO, based in Seoul. Kim covers inter-Korean relations and North and South Korean foreign and military affairs. Kim has covered the 2022 ROK presidential election on the ground, and prior to joining NK News, she worked for the CSIS Korea Chair in Washington D.C. and Reuters news agency’s Seoul bureau.