According to new data, in the last five years, a minimum of 112 North Korean defectors have applied for asylum in third countries without reporting their South Korean citizenship to the authorities there.

On October 6th, Shim Jae Kwon, New Politics Alliance for Democracy assemblyman, released findings from a fingerprint cross-check conducted by the Foreign Ministry, at the request of authorities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.  Based on this report, 112 of the 141 North Koreans seeking asylum in the four nations over the past 5 years did so under false pretenses, as they were already registered citizens of South Korea.

These statistics apply only to the four nations that specifically requested the checks. Canada and a host of other countries confirm identities through more comprehensive systems like Interpol, meaning that the actual number of North Korean defectors seeking asylum after already having done so in South Korea is likely much higher.

Many defectors say that those attempting to claim double asylum are lured in by the idea of a better life outside of South Korea, where defectors still face many adjustment hardships, by brokers who charge hefty sums to grant them passage to a third nation. Others are known to send only their children for asylum in English-speaking nations to give them a leg up on language education and their future.

Authorities in the four countries that requested the confirmation have thus far only requested that those who have misrepresented their status voluntary leave and return to South Korea. No further recommendations have been reported. This has prompted concern for those who may choose to remain in the country undocumented, leaving them highly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

Shim called on the improvement of South Korean policies as a solution, “In order to prevent defectors from attempting to seek asylum in a third country, it is obvious that we must strengthen the basic resettlement support provided to them. We need to make every effort to confirm their current status in those nations, return them to South Korea safely, and assist them in their transition to society here.”