A group of North Koreans who crossed the heavily patrolled inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea, the Northern Limit Line, boarded a fishing boat earlier last month and defected to South Korea on May 6, 2023. South Korea’s navy patrol boat located and intercepted the North Koreans, including two families with children expressing their intention to defect, as they headed to Yeonpyong Island toward the west of Incheon. If confirmed, it would mark “the first time [a family has defected] since four North Koreans crossed the border on a fishing boat in July 2017.” 

Official data shows that the number of defectors fleeing to the South has significantly decreased from over 1,000 per year for most of the 2000s to around 100 since the pandemic in 2020 due to the closure of the North Korean border. Moreover, the Center for Strategic and International Studies stated in its report that propaganda in the North that publicizes and highlights how difficult life in South Korea is also contributed to the drastic decline in defection figures.

CROSSING BY BOAT

While the South Korean authorities did not disclose the exact number of defectors in this isolated incident, they confirmed that the number did not exceed 10. The group is currently undergoing a joint interrogation by the National Intelligence Service, South Korean military, police and Ministry of Unification in Seoul to verify whether their defection was voluntary. The National Intelligence Service revealed that “In an interagency questioning, the defectors said they had admired our society while watching South Korean television and decided to defect as they grew exhausted of the North Korean regime amid tightened social control stemming from the pandemic.” Once the spy agency verifies their voluntary defection, the group is expected to undergo a 12-week resettlement education program to adjust to life in the South. The current government under Yoon Suk-yeol’s leadership emphasized the principle of accepting all North Korean defectors. Former Moon Jae-in’s administration notably repatriated two North Korean fishermen against their will in 2019 after they were suspected of murdering 16 fellow crew members before crossing the East Sea to South Korea.

It is worth noting that not all crossings are intentional. There had been instances where North Korean fishing boats drifted into the South after experiencing engine trouble or running out of fuel, and it is standard practice for South Korea to return North Korean fishermen in line with their wishes unless they express a desire to defect or are suspected of espionage.

NORTH KOREANS EXPRESS ENVY

News of the group’s defection was reportedly spreading rapidly in the Chinese-North Korean border regions of Hoeryong and Hyesan, as many people who faced tougher crackdowns since the pandemic expressed envy toward those who defected, “People are now facing hard times comparable to the hardships suffered during the Arduous March. Some people might want to defect, but border guards will shoot anyone even approaching the border area, so dreams of defecting stay nothing but dreams.” 

Meanwhile, this recent defection by boat sparked excitement and gave hope to many border residents, “We have heard plenty of rumors about people who risked their lives to cross the border following the outbreak of COVID-19. These attempts were unsuccessful, and those involved were either dragged off to political prison camps or shot and killed by border guards. Everyone was relieved to hear news about not just one or two people but an entire family escaping here successfully.” As expressions of envy like “I feel so happy about it, almost like I was the one who defected,” “I hope we’ll get that kind of opportunity, too” and “For an entire family to go all together, and directly to South Korea at that, makes people quite jealous. Some people are saying they’d be happy if they could even send just their children” span across the region, Daily NK’s reporting partner suggests that many North Koreans may wish to defect.