June 03, 2023
Ask A North Korean

Settling in Seoul: What was your first year like after reaching South Korea?

Some adjust faster than others to a capitalist lifestyle, even when it causes tensions with those closest to us

“Settling in Seoul” is a new NK News series in which North Korean defectors share their experiences adapting to life in South Korea.

In this week’s column, Sersong Han — who lived in North Korea until he defected in 2014 — writes about his first year in South Korea and the major events and discoveries of that time.