Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea? | NK News
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September 28, 2026Sep 28, 2026

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Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea?

People in the DPRK are curious about the far wealthier South, but the interest doesn’t always go in the other direction

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

Jin — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until she defected in 2014 — writes about the mismatch in interest between the two Koreas, ignorance about the DPRK among South Koreans and more.

Got a question for Jin? Email it to [email protected] with your name and city. We’ll be publishing the best ones.

I have often been asked how I feel when I am asked to speak about North Korea. Though we all