Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
North Korea calls feces-carrying balloons a ‘gift’ to the South from its people
Kim Yo Jong justifies balloons as citizens’ exercise of free expression, mocking Seoul for allowing anti-DPRK leafleting
North Korea’s waste balloon barrage raises stakes for two Koreas
DPRK is sending warning against leafleting and US-ROK drills, and Yoon’s response could determine if situation escalates
Why the US seeks dialogue with North Korea on human rights – Ep. 344
Julie Turner discusses her work as US envoy on DPRK human rights and how the global community can help North Koreans
Ask a North Korean: Does North Korea really carry out public executions?
A defector writes about witnessing someone sentenced to death and why the regime ‘kills the chicken to warn the monkey’
Ask a North Korean: What is forced labor like in North Korea?
A defector writes about being forced to work even as an elementary school student and the trauma it left him with
Why banning North Koreans from working abroad may not be in their best interest
Laborers face difficult and unsafe conditions overseas, but many volunteer for chance to earn money and leave the DPRK
Dangerous catch: The fishermen who brave perilous waters on North Korea’s edge
South Korean ships venture as close as mile from border in search of seafood, despite past abductions and high tensions
Defector attempts to send BTS songs to North Korea in latest leaflet launch
Launch of balloons carrying flash drives with K-pop is Park Sang-hak’s first since court struck down anti-leaflet law
Ex-Marine who raided DPRK Embassy makes case against extradition to US public
In interview, Christopher Ahn insists he aimed to help staff at Madrid embassy defect and could be killed if extradited
Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans spend their time?
A defector writes about daily routines and the supremacy of work, and why DPRK citizens don’t even think about hobbies
