Adjustment of North Korean Defectors in South Korea

Jeon, Woo Taek; Min, Sung Kil; Lee, Man Hong; Lee, Eun Sul

Abstract

The authors interviewed with 21 North Korean defectors who detected from North Korea in 1990-1995 and investigated their adjustment to South Korean society. The main categories of their problems in adjustment were a poor social network, financial difficulties, problems in social competency, problems resulting from their indoctrinated way of thinking, some psychological problems such as excessive self-consciousness and guilty feelings, and some social-structural problems such as poor education system in the government shelter. But, generally speaking, inspite of their problems, they have adjusted to South Korea society rather successfully In the view of short term adjustment, the reasons for their success were thought to be the characteristics and merits of a capitalistic economy ; their compliant personalities resulting from an educational system that emphasized obedience to authority and Kim Il Sung, and the dualism of North Korean lifts. Four points were discussed to assist a successful adjustment in the long term ; Fostering of the ability to make individual choices with internal principles, overcoming a judgemental, moralizing attitude, overcoming of overfull thought centered attitude and rebounding thought-lacking attitude, overcoming the effect of negative collectivism. Three things have been suggested to foster their healthy adjustment ; development and running of resocialization program for the each period of settlement ; building up a network of accessible support organizations who work for the adjustment of defectors ; systemic studies of North Korean people and defecters for the successful adjustment to unified Korean society. It is said that the division of Korean people has been the most tragic thing happen to Korea. But there can be a greater tragedy and that would be the unification of land but not the unification of people. failure to understand the real problems of the North Korean population can potentially produce conflicts and confusion which can only lead to funker re-division and greater tragedy. It is very important to study the adjustment to problems of North Korean defectors to help prepare far the unification of the Korean people.