Defector Issues
Information related to North Korean defector issues
Why more North Koreans don’t defect across the inter-Korean border
Obstacles range from political risks to lack of awareness, but experts say Seoul can do more to help would-be escapees
Life inside the pro-North Korea enclave in Japan – NKNews Podcast Ep. 243
Park Hyangsu shares how she left Chongryon and the tragic story of her family members in the DPRK
Ask a North Korean: What superstitions and urban myths exist in North Korea?
The state has failed to fully root out folk beliefs, which range from wedding rituals to tall tales about Kim Il Sung
North Korea says its COVID outbreak spread from ‘alien things’ near DMZ
State media reports two people caught the virus in early April, the first time country has pinpointed origin of outbreak
Defector activist flies balloons with COVID aid toward North Korea again
Park Sang-hak says he conducted his second launch this month despite Seoul’s appeal for restraint
Seoul gentrification forces closure of landmark Pyongyang cold noodle restaurant
Founded by daughter of Korean War refugee, Eulji Myeonok introduced locals to signature North Korean dish for decades
UK’s Rwanda plan will deter North Korean defectors from seeking asylum, NGO says
Expert tells NK News that deal to fly asylum seekers to African country will increase scrutiny on DPRK refugees
How the private market brought pork to the table in North Korea
When state planning failed to deliver a steady supply of meat, Kim Il Sung handed the reins to private pig farmers
Settling in Seoul: Where South Korea succeeds in helping new defectors
Adapting to life in an alien country is a daunting challenge, one defector says, so any assistance can go a long way
Lured to North Korea on false promises – NKNews Podcast Ep. 240
Marcus Bell discusses the thousands of ethnic Koreans who left Japan for the DPRK in search of a ‘Workers’ Paradise’
