Why North Koreans ‘double defect’ to the DPRK after risking it all to run South | NK News
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December 23, 2024

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Analysis

Why North Koreans ‘double defect’ to the DPRK after risking it all to run South

Many defectors believe that they can return to North Korea unnoticed and resume normal lives — and they might be right

Today’s South Korea has more than 30,000 North Korean defectors living in it, many of whom fled their hometowns because of hunger and political repression.

But a surprising number of defectors have also decided to return to the North — just last weekend, a defector was caught and arrested after attempting to return to the DPRK through the eastern border town of Cheorwon.

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