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2017.06.28
| Won | Pyongyang | Sinuiju | Hyesan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange Rate | 8,070 | 8,050 | 8,095 |
| Rice Price | 5,800 | 6,000 | 5,900 |
A considerable number of North Korean defectors in the South either migrate, flee the country, or commit suicide due to financial difficulties and maladjustment, it has been revealed.
Lawmaker and member of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee Moon Dae Sung (Independent) yesterday publicized the results of a Ministry of Unification report on the status of the approximately 25,000 North Korean defectors residing in the South.
Of this group 26 have committed suicide, 583 have passed away, 51 have migrated and the whereabouts of 796 are unknown.
According to the report, those who remain unaccounted for may have either failed to register their address, are currently overseas, are being held in a detention center or may have re-defected back to the North.
“North Korean defectors have overcome starvation and serious risk to their lives. Upon arrival to the South however, they sometimes resort to extreme measures like suicide and re-defection as a result of financial difficulties. The Ministry of Unification needs consistent management to ensure they adjust well as one of us,” Moon suggested.
“The responsibility for overseeing North Korean defectors from their point of arrival to final settelment falls under the Ministry of Unification, the National Intelligence Service and the police. This needs to be unified under an organized and integrated system run by one single department." he added.
Defectors’ mental health is also of great concern, with over half of the population reportedly having suicidal thoughts.
Quoting a recent study that interviewed 295 defectors, lawmaker Kim Young Woo (Saenuri Party) revealed that 55.2% defectors contemplate suicide ‘sometimes’ or ‘often.’
Furthermore, 78.6% reported they had suffered depression, 63.4% felt lethargic and reported a loss in appetite, and 81% showed symptoms of anxiety and insomnia.
Kim emphasized that, “North Korean defectors face great difficulty during the defection process and in adjusting to an alien culture in the South. This proves the need for a consistent management system.”
Lawmaker and member of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee Moon Dae Sung (Independent) yesterday publicized the results of a Ministry of Unification report on the status of the approximately 25,000 North Korean defectors residing in the South.
Of this group 26 have committed suicide, 583 have passed away, 51 have migrated and the whereabouts of 796 are unknown.
According to the report, those who remain unaccounted for may have either failed to register their address, are currently overseas, are being held in a detention center or may have re-defected back to the North.
“North Korean defectors have overcome starvation and serious risk to their lives. Upon arrival to the South however, they sometimes resort to extreme measures like suicide and re-defection as a result of financial difficulties. The Ministry of Unification needs consistent management to ensure they adjust well as one of us,” Moon suggested.
“The responsibility for overseeing North Korean defectors from their point of arrival to final settelment falls under the Ministry of Unification, the National Intelligence Service and the police. This needs to be unified under an organized and integrated system run by one single department." he added.
Defectors’ mental health is also of great concern, with over half of the population reportedly having suicidal thoughts.
Quoting a recent study that interviewed 295 defectors, lawmaker Kim Young Woo (Saenuri Party) revealed that 55.2% defectors contemplate suicide ‘sometimes’ or ‘often.’
Furthermore, 78.6% reported they had suffered depression, 63.4% felt lethargic and reported a loss in appetite, and 81% showed symptoms of anxiety and insomnia.
Kim emphasized that, “North Korean defectors face great difficulty during the defection process and in adjusting to an alien culture in the South. This proves the need for a consistent management system.”
