When the Yeomyung School announced that it would build a new campus this summer, it seemed like a dream come true for Seoul’s only accredited institution for the children of North Korean defectors.

The school has moved from one rented space to another throughout its existence, but under a deal with the government and Hyundai Motor Group, it would finally have a permanent home on the grounds of a closed elementary school in western Seoul.

Then the backlash came.

With AI-generated Instagram posts and posters hung around the neighborhood, a group of local residents have rallied against the school, arguing