Forty-three North Korean defectors reached South Korea in the first quarter of the year, according to ministry of unification data released Tuesday, a slight increase on-year but still well below pre-pandemic levels.

The eight men and 35 women who arrived in the country from January to March marked an increase from 34 escapees during the same period in 2023.

But the first quarter figure notably declined from the 57 recorded in the previous quarter despite the DPRK’s steady loosening of COVID-19 controls since last year.

Pandemic restrictions in North Korea, China and other countries that escapees typically travel through, as