Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
North Korean soldier taken into custody from inter-Korean border
The lone soldier reportedly expressed an intent to defect to South Korea, according to local media
June 24, 2026
Ambassador recall, remote work scams and the lives of North Korea’s elites
Shreyas Reddy talks tensions with UK, while author Jieun Baek explains why DPRK elites can be privileged but powerless
June 23, 2026
Ask a North Korean: How does DPRK society view people with disabilities?
A defector writes about prejudice toward wounded veterans, and the desperate choices that parents face
Brian Davis on how the US military collects intel: North Korea Unpacked
Retired US Army colonel joins Jacco Zwetsloot to discuss his decades ‘on pen,’ fixing a DPRK fax machine and more
June 18, 2026
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
