Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
Settling in Seoul: How an alternative school in South Korea helped find my dream
An escapee reflects on adapting to South Korea, preparing for university and discovering her ambitions
School for North Korean defectors gets a new lease on life in Seoul
Founded in 2004, the school was unable to afford a facility and rented out buildings to continue educating defectors
How South Korea’s sole armistice delegate became a hero in North Korea
Praised by Seoul as the ‘Hero of Panmunjom,’ Choe Tok Sin later became one of Pyongyang's most celebrated defectors
North Korean defectors begin receiving AI phone calls to monitor well-being
Government-backed program will ask about meals, medication and daily life, then alert specialists if risks are detected
Court fines defector $6,700 for helping send money back to North Koreans
Defendant says money sent through Chinese broker helped families in DPRK cover basic living costs
Lee calls for peace in event recognizing North Korean defectors’ plight, success
The ROK president referred to defectors as 'North Korean-born citizens,' a term adopted by the Unification Ministry
Ask a North Korean: What made you want to leave North Korea?
A defector from Hyesan remembers his mother’s escape, a crackdown over South Korean media and the road to freedom
North Korean defector arrivals ticks up but remains historically low
Seoul recorded 43 arrivals from January to March, compared to more than 1,000 annually before the pandemic
Lee calls on Mongolia to play greater role in spurring dialogue with North Korea
Mongolia has long maintained ties with both Koreas, offering a neutral venue for DPRK engagement
South Korea, Ukraine agree to respect North Korean prisoners’ wishes on release
The pair of North Korean POWs captured in Kursk previously expressed their desire to defect
