A total of 96 North Korean defectors entered South Korea in the first half of 2025, most after spending a significant period in China or other third countries before arriving.

Seoul’s unification ministry told NK News on Monday that 88 were women and only 8 were men. The number is similar to the 105 defectors recorded in the first half of 2024 but marks a 27% decrease from 131 defectors in the second half of last year.

Of the arrivals this year, 38 arrived in the first quarter and 58 in the second quarter.

The ministry confirmed that most of