About the Author
Jooheon Kim
Jooheon Kim is a Correspondent at NK News. He previously worked at Aju News Corporation where he covered South Korea's economy and tech sectors, K-pop and inter-Korean politics.
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Features Culinary dreams: North Korean defectors seek a fresh start in South’s kitchensSeoul is trying to help escapees to break into food industry, as discrimination and cultural differences pose challenges ![]() Sarah Kim worked as a food vendor to survive in North Korea, so after she escaped and resettled in the South, she naturally saw food service as a way to make a living. She earned a cooking certification and started working in professional kitchens, hoping to earn enough money to help family members in the North to escape. But her ambitions soon ran up against an unpleasant reality — discrimination. She recalled that while working at a dumpling restaurant, a younger South Korean colleague belittled her for being a defector, and when she complained, her employer pressured her to accept a shallow, insincere apology, leaving her frustrated by the lack of support. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. |