Refugees in South Korea
Why do North Korean defectors choose to make South Korea their final destination?
When North Koreans receive refugee status in Southeast Asia, they have a choice to go to any number of countries, which includes the US, the UK, Australia and many others. The overwhelming majority of North Korean refugees choose South Korea for the following reasons:
Citizenship - they are granted immediate citizenship in South Korea because, according to the South Korean constitution, all North Koreans are South Korean citizens.
A jump start - they receive a lump sum payout, which has been equivalent to $20,000 USD in the past, though this payout has decreased throughout the years.
Language - the two Koreas share the same language. North Koreans do not need to learn a whole new language when they arrive in their new country.
North Korean refugees who land in South Korea from Southeast Asia often describe the experience as traveling to the future. South Korea is a technologically advanced nation. If you look at a satellite image of the Korean peninsula at night, you can see the stark difference in the way the two countries light up at night. Refrigerators have built-in computers with touch screen doors, groceries can be ordered and delivered from a smartphone and people now control their cars and homes with their voices.
North Koreans who are plunged into this futuristic world often find it disorienting. The lights, the language and the modern pressures to keep up can be overwhelming. Compounded by the severe traumas many North Korean defectors have endured, one can easily see why the North Korean population in South Korea is faring so poorly.
Resettling in South Korea
When North Koreans arrive in South Korea, they are subject to an interview process by the NIS (or the National Intelligence Service) to assure that the refugee is not a spy. They are then taken to Hanawon, a re-education facility where they must stay for 3 months. The refugees are taught how to adjust to life in South Korea. They learn basic skills such as riding the subway, using an elevator, paying bills, and using a remote control.
After leaving Hanawon, South Korea provides basic living expenses, subsidies, and housing for 5 years. While this support helps the refugees get on their feet, other challenges lay ahead of them.
The South Korean accent is a difficult transition for North Koreans. Since so many English words have become part of the language, even basic signs are hard to understand. Slang has changed the language much more drastically than in the North.
Old and New Trauma
Discrimination is also common toward North Koreans and the stigma of being an outsider follows them wherever they go. This makes it challenging to find jobs or make friends.
And for many, the trauma of life in North Korea and China can be too difficult to bear without support from others. The incessant brainwashing and life of hardship in North Korea followed by being sold in China by human traffickers imprints memories that can’t be erased.
Elim House
Thankfully, both government and ministry resources are available for North Koreans in South Korea. One example is Elim House, our safehouse for abused North Korean women that opened in July of 2020. Although having a normal life is very difficult for North Koreans, finding a support network can make a significant difference in reaching that sense of normalcy.
At the time of this writing, we are grateful to announce the arrival of our first Elim House resident. Her life of only 28 years is marred with so much suffering and trauma and we’re praying for the steadfast, pursuing and healing love of Christ to mend what is broken.
Thank you for journeying with us through our Breaking Down North Korea video series. Please help by sharing these videos and let us pray together for the good and salvation of North Korea.