Vice Minister Kim Nam Jung Attends the 2026 Workshop to Enhance Communication among Hana Center Staff

Encouragement for Hana Center Employees Dedicated to Improving Public Awareness and Regional Integration of North Korean-born Citizens

Vice Minister Kim Nam Jung Attends the 2026 Workshop to Enhance Communication among Hana Center Staff (April 21)

[Related National Agenda] 116. Alleviating the Sufferings of Division and Resolving Humanitarian Issues

The Ministry of Unification held the "2026 Workshop to Enhance Communication among Hana Center Staff" (April 21-22, 2026) at the Center for Unified Korean Future to strengthen support for North Korean-born citizens.

*Hana Centers: Established in 2010 to support the stable local settlement of North Korean-born citizens, including assistance with initial regional entry, adaptation training, and care for those in crisis. Currently, 25 centers operate across 16 provinces and cities nationwide, with 205 employees, including 127 social workers and 78 professional counselors.

The workshop was designed to share work achievements between social workers from 25 Hana Centers nationwide and professional counselors dispatched by the Korean Hana Foundation, who are striving to improve public awareness and resident integration. It also aimed to prevent psychological burnout among the staff.

Through facilitation activities, participants exchanged various opinions on ways to strengthen collaboration and communication between organizations for the social integration of North Korean-born citizens and took time to recharge by sharing their experiences.

*On February 12, during a policy meeting with regional Hana Center directors, Minister of Unification Chung Dong Young listened to concerns regarding the mental and physical burnout of Hana Center employees due to their heavy workload and subsequently ordered the implementation of programs to enhance communication and prevent psychological burnout.

Vice Minister of Unification Kim Nam Jung visited the site and, during a dinner with the participants, offered his sincere gratitude to the Hana Center staff, who are on the front lines sharing the pain and difficulties of North Korean-born citizens.

Furthermore, he requested that they pay closer attention to North Korean-born citizens who are in the blind spots of settlement support-due to deteriorating health, social isolation, or signs of suicide-to help them overcome their hardships and lead stable lives.

Through collaboration between Hana Centers and the Korea Hana Foundation, the Ministry of Unification will continue to strengthen regional-cooperation-based support policies for the social integration and improvement of public awareness of North Korean-born citizens by linking various resources within local communities.