an arduous journey
Since the end of the Korean War in the late 1950s, North Koreans have attempted to cross the border and defect into South Korea, consistently testifying to the severe humanitarian crisis in their country. 1 in 3 North Koreans are malnourished, and, among other freedoms, the right to free speech, movement, or information are violently suppressed, which motivates these refugees to embark on a treacherous journey to the South.
Given the highly militarized border between North and South Korea, North Korean refugees are forced to travel across mainland China into Southeast Asia to eventually defect to South Korea. As they cross multiple state borders, these refugees are vulnerable to exploitative brokers, human traffickers, and other forms of violence.
North Korean refugees
risk death, torture, and sexual trafficking to escape to South Korea.
"I still remember the underground tunnels headed from China to Mongolia ... we finally arrived at one of the borders. It was midnight and there were searchlights everywhere ...we had already paid [the guards] but I was still terrified – what if they had changed their minds? What if they decided on a whim that they’d shoot us like they shoot passing animals?
... The 11 people I was traveling with all got captured during our escape ... I’m the only one here.”
– J. Park (Escaped in 2013)
Emotional Challenges
Even when defectors finally arrive in South Korea, challenges are pervasive. 90% of North Korean refugees struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression, and many struggle with loneliness.
In addition, the fast-paced life of South Korea—with high-speed internet, subways, and advanced banking systems—can be daunting for refugees who are trying to make a home for themselves. Moreover, as they begin to integrate into Korean society, they face unforeseen difficulties due to niche cultural differences—from language discrepancies to the common adoption of the English language.
"We've been born and raised ... with no food, no capitalism, no democracy. Most of us ended up in a limbo somewhere in China, Mongolia, or other countries for several years - sometimes as sex workers, other times as menial laborers.
We came to South Korea with not only hope and willingness to make a better future but also a broken body, a broken mind, guilt, fear, anger, and isolation. It's been difficult to address these ... by myself."
– M. Kim, 2008
social discrimination
While North and South Koreans are of the same ethnic background, the last seventy years of separation have produced significant cultural and physical differences. Due to these identifiable characteristics, including a distinct dialect or contrasting health conditions, North Koreans often report feeling alienated in Korean society.
In response, Saejowi assists in creating community and raising awareness about North Koreans, thus forming a family for refugees at Saejowi.