Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
Number of North Korean defectors who reached South tripled to 196 last year
Seoul says 'elite' defectors like diplomats made up significant part of total in 2023 as DPRK began to reopen
Ask a North Korean: Why a DPRK laborer in Russia decided to defect
A recent defector writes about growing disillusioned during 90s famine and how pandemic pushed him to make a break
Interview: How a North Korean defector’s daring escape led him to ROK politics
Park Choong-kwon went from studying missiles in DPRK to working at Hyundai Steel and advising the South’s ruling party
North Korea has executed citizens for violating COVID rules: Report
Defector testimony appears to be first evidence of executions since DPRK stipulated death penalty for serious violations
Predicting 2024: Why Kim Jong Un will meet Xi and Putin, but keep borders shut
In second of two-part series, NK Pro forecasts North Korean labor exports, tourism restart, rejection of aid and more
Predicting 2024: Why the writing is on the wall for an inter-Korean border clash
In first of two-part series, NK Pro forecasts the biggest North Korea developments in the year ahead
Ask A North Korean: Do North Koreans celebrate Western holidays?
A defector writes about her memories of festivities in the DPRK and her first experience of Valentine’s Day
Timeline: From North Korea’s ICBM launch to major year-end party plenum
NK Pro timeline charts the key events from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31
North Korea in December 2023: A month in review and what’s ahead
An analytical look at the main developments from December 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023
Ask a North Korean: Do North Koreans get tattoos?
Ink is common among older generations, but usually as a way to show loyalty rather than as a form of self-expression
