Meeting with Experts Supporting North Korean Defectors in Local Communities

Meeting with Experts Supporting North Korean Defectors in Local Communities

Minister Chung holds a policy roundtable with regional Hana Center directors (February 12)

On February 12, Minister of Unification Chung Dong Young held a policy roundtable with directors of regional Hana Centers.

The meeting was arranged ahead of the Seollal holiday to invite directors who work on the front lines of local communities to support the settlement of North Korean defectors. The goal was to listen to the various difficulties these defectors face and to seek policy-based solutions.

*Hana Center: A social welfare facility supporting the local settlement and self-reliance of North Korean defectors who have completed Hanawon training. It identifies at-risk households and operates 25 locations across 16 cities and provinces.

Minister Chung noted that North Korean defectors are exposed to complex risks, including ongoing economic hardship, deteriorating health, and issues in family relationships due to their unique circumstances. He also pointed out that solitary deaths are increasing following the aging trend among the defector population.

In particular, he emphasized that while South Korea's high suicide rate is a serious issue, the rate among North Korean defectors is even higher than that of the general public, and he listened to various voices from the field regarding this matter.

The center directors in attendance suggested that before North Korean defectors reach the point of suicide, they often show several warning signs. They emphasized that, above all, it is crucial to quickly detect these signs in advance to prevent such tragedies.