Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
3 parades, 44 missiles, 64 flights: Numbers tell the story of North Korea’s 2023
Data sheds light on the year’s biggest developments, from leader appearances and wig trade to delegation visits and more
7 in 10 North Korean defectors struggle to make ends meet in Seoul, survey finds
Experts say prejudice and lack of support drive escapees’ economic difficulties, as their incomes lag behind ROK average
How North Korea’s diplomats navigate privilege and peril abroad
Staff at overseas missions enjoy more freedom than compatriots back home but must turn to illicit activities to survive
Ask a North Korean: Can children in the DPRK express their creativity?
David, who defected in 2012, writes about discovering the joys of self-expression through his work as a YouTuber
Lavish meals and North Korean human rights collide at Seoul’s glitzy conferences
Yoon has put human rights at center of inter-Korean policy, but activists voice unease about optics of glamorous events
North Korean defector arrested in Vietnam faces repatriation to China: Activists
Justice for North Korea says 38-year-old woman was arrested last month, accusing Seoul of doing little to help her
Ask a North Korean: What I learned from visiting a DPRK restaurant abroad
A defector writes about his surreal meal at a North Korean restaurant in Laos and how it led him to reflect on his life
China must stop sending back North Koreans against their will
Force repatriations have left defectors without refuge, but it’s not too late for Beijing to stand up for human rights
Ask A North Korean: Are there private academies and tutors in the DPRK?
North Koreans are passionate about education, and like in South Korea, a fever for private instruction has taken hold
Barrier to entry: New photos show China expanding fences on North Korea border
Barbed-wire fencing and surveillance towers underscore continuing efforts to limit cross-border movement on both sides
