* North Korean Defectors Face Another Struggle for Survival Beyond Division. @iStock Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Science_Sogang University As of the end of June 2024, there are 34,183 North Korean defectors settled in South Korean society. The South Korean government refers to these defectors as the "forerunners of unification" or the "advance guard of unification." This is because how well defectors adapt serves as a measure of how prepared our society is for unification. Despite facing social prejudice and economic hardships, many North Korean defectors express that they are happy in South Korea. However, the challenges they face as "marginalized" or "outsiders" in our society are significant. Even so, they rise again each day to face life anew. The Aspiration of North Korean Defectors to Belong to the 'Average' For North Korean defectors, fully integrating into South Korean society is far from ...
'The Korean Odyssey' introduces various issues on the Korean Peninsula and proposes academic & policy ideas for peace on the Korean Peninsula.