Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
Seoul to compensate family of North Korean defector abducted by regime
Consolation payment of around $12K follows official recognition of defector-journalist’s lengthy detention
June 5, 2026
Ask a North Korean: Do North Koreans read Shakespeare?
A defector writes about majoring in literature and discovering the freedom of interpreting poems in unapproved ways
Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans deal with trash and recycling?
A defector writes about differences between rural and urban waste management and how some trash is treated as precious
New book details uneasy lives of North Korea’s privileged but powerless
Jieun Baek’s study of elite defectors probes fear, loyalty and the prospects for regime change in North Korea
May 22, 2026
U.N. human rights chief makes first trip to South Korea in 11 years
Accountability for North Korea’s human rights abuses must not be shelved as Seoul pursues diplomacy, he said
May 14, 2026
Researchers develop AI medical tool for North Korean defectors
Seoul researchers say MediBridge flags unfamiliar terms and prompts users to add details needed for diagnosis
May 8, 2026
North Korean hackers poison Chinese games in apparent bid to spy on refugees
The espionage-focused group ScarCruft modified Android and Windows games to deploy signature data-stealing malware
May 6, 2026
Fear from a vibrating cellphone: A North Korean defector’s tale of grief
Because of my mother’s earlier defection, my social status in North Korea was forever tainted
Jacco Zwetsloot: A look back and a new chapter for the NK News Podcast
Longtime host discusses memorable episodes, dream guests and how he is not leaving the podcast entirely
May 5, 2026
Former DPRK diplomat peels back curtain on Pyongyang’s foreign policy apparatus
New memoir provides a revealing, if partial, account of North Korea’s diplomacy and the officials competing to guide it
May 1, 2026
