North Korean Defectors | Korean Culture And History

One of the most popular Korean dramas in recent years is Crash Landing On You.

In the drama, Yoon Se-ri (played by Son Ye-jin) accidentally ends up in North Korea after a storm catches her paraglider and blows her over the border. Lost in the neighboring country, she meets the handsome North Korean Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok (played by Hyun Bin).

However, we all know that reality isn't always as pretty as fiction. Surely not all officers in the North Korean army are as good-looking as Hyun Bin? And is a paraglider and a storm all that's needed to cross the border?

Much of what we know about life in North Korea comes from the stories of North Korean defectors. But why did they risk their lives to flee their country?

Why There Are Two Koreas

1. End of the Japanese Occupation

For a number of decades, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. But although Japan annexed Korea in 1910, there was always a strong anti-Japanese movement throughout the peninsula. After Japan lost in the Second World War, Korea finally regained independence on August 15, 1945.

However, there were still foreign powers looking to influence the politics in Korea.

The two most powerful nations in the world, the United States and the Soviet Union, would assist and more or less actively interfere with politics in the country.

Shortly after Japan's defeat, the two great powers divided the Korean Peninsula into two spheres of influence. The northern half of the country was placed under a Soviet trusteeship, and the southern half became a US-occupied zone.

This was the beginning of the split into two separate countries.

2. Conflict of Ideas and the Korean War

In the aftermath of the Second World War, most countries would end up either pursuing democracy under American influence, or communism, the ideology promoted by the Soviets.

The conflict between the two rival ideologies had a huge impact on the Korean Peninsula.

Not long after being split into spheres of influence, the North and the South formed separate governments. With the start of the Korean War on June 25, 1950, it stood clear that a reunion would not be an easy task.

Why Are North Koreans Defecting?

Source: pub.chosun.com

There are many North Korean defectors in South Korea. According to statistics, there were more than 30,000 defectors in South Korea as of March 2017.

So why is it that so many risk their lives to flee North Korea?

The first reason is that life in North Korea is hard. As portrayed in Crash Landing On You, North Korea is far from an affluent country.

The collapse of the Soviet Union and socialism in the early 1990s had a huge impact on North Korea, leading to poverty and people starving. This also became the start of a significant increase of defectors to South Korea.

Another reason can be traced to the influence of South Korean pop culture, also called Hallyu, or the Korean Wave.

South Korean dramas and music were introduced to the North in the 1990s through smuggling. When North Koreans saw the freedom and wealth that their neighbors enjoyed, many couldn't help but want the same for themselves.

Watching South Korean dramas is a punishable offense in North Korea, but many still choose to take the risk.

North Korean children like to watch K-dramas

North Koreans soldiers who work at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) are familiar with K-pop; along with other propaganda South Korean speakers regularly blast popular music over the the border in an attempt to entice North Korean soldiers into surrender.

Red Velvet after their performance in Pyeongyang

A third reason for defection is abroad studies. Many of the North Korean elite have studied abroad, and they can't help but notice the difference between their home country and the rest of the world.

After they return to North Korea, some find it hard to readapt to a life where they no longer freely can express their thoughts and ideas.

Former North Korean deputy ambassador to the UK who defected

A fourth reason for defection is the corruption of the Kim regime.

During his reign, Kim Jong-un not only had his uncle executed, he also purged several politicians and officers loyal to the ruling party.

With this in mind, it's no wonder that a number of high ranking officials and soldiers have fled to the South.

Oh Chong-song who defected to South Korea in 2017

Apparently many families in North Korea privately joke about fleeing the country together.

Although many defectors come alone, there is no doubt that leaving their families behind was one of the hardest decisions they ever made.

Not only are they unable to see their families, but family members who remain in the North are likely punished. Some even say that living in the North as a family member of a defector is worse than death.

There are stories about children of defectors ending up as kotjebi (꽃제비 - flowering swallows), a Korean term for homeless children.

Risking One's Life To Flee North Korea

Source: AFP

The demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is the most heavily-fortified border on the planet. That's why most defectors instead cross the Tumen River to reach China, before continuing to Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, or other countries.

However, this journey also means risking one's life, as most people are shot and killed if spotted trying to cross the river.

As we find out in Crash Landing On You, the borders are also filled with land mines and high-voltage electricity fences.

No matter which border they choose, North Korean defectors risk their lives trying to escape.

However, defectors are not out of danger even if they succeed in crossing one of the borders.

Many defectors use the help of a broker to increase their chances of succeeding to escape.

But using a broker means that you put your life in their hands, and there are many reports of North Korean women being misled and sold as wives or being forced into prostitution.

Are Defectors Offered 100 Million Won?

There are many rumors about the support that North Korean defectors receive from the South Korean government, with some claiming that they get up to 100 million won.

However, most of these claims have no basis in reality.

Although defectors do get some support from the South Korean government when arrive here, it is a smaller sum that is meant to help them settle and start a new life.

In reality, the welfare is often not enough.

In 2019, the world was shocked to learn that a defector and her six-year-old son starved to death in their apartment in Seoul.

However, it is true that defectors who hold and share important information about North Korea can receive generous rewards.

These rewards can range from ten million won up to a billion won, with information about the North Korean military considered the most valuable.

These rewards are a part of a South Korean strategy to encourage high-ranking North Koreans to defect, and ultimately to cause a split in the North Korean elite.

Although the number of defectors have decreased in recent years, you can read stories about North Korean defectors in the news from time to time.

However, providing financial aid is the easy part. A more pressing issue is how defectors can fit in the South Korean society.

Most North Korean defectors are not high-ranked officials. Instead, they often lack relevant academic or professional qualifications. Coming from a different culture, they find it hard to adapt to life in the South.

This has led to a high unemployment rate among defectors, and many even say that they have started to doubt their decision to leave North Korea.

To make matters worse, North Koreans are often very self-conscious about their backgrounds.

Even though they succeeded in escaping the North, they find it hard to trust other people, and many won't actively seek help when they need it.

Pride and lack of trust of authorities might partly explain how the tragedy with the mother and her child starving to death in Seoul could happen.

In addition to unfounded claims about the support that they receive from the government, North Korean defectors are also criticized for their political views.

North Koreans are taught that the US and Japan are their enemies. However, when they arrive to South Korea, they see products and culture from these countries everywhere.

It's not easy to change how we think, and many defectors end up with political views that are considered extremist in South Korea.

Although they may have succeeded in escaping North Korea, it is clear that for many defectors, life is still a struggle.

The drama Crash Landing On You got us thinking about how life really is in North Korea, and why so many try to escape the country.

With this article, we tried to shed light on the many struggles and problems that North Koreans face, both before and after defecting.

Hope this informative for you, and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.