“Respect, Not Assimilation”: Unification Education for North Korean Defectors and Koryo-saram
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Ra Jong-ok, director of the Unification Culture Institute, won the 16th Minse Award for social integration for his work teaching unification to North Korean defectors, Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans in Central Asia), and multicultural communities. Since founding the institute in 1998, Ra has provided education, medical support, and community programs — including the “Unification and Sharing Academy” co-founded with a major newspaper in 2014 — to help refugees and migrants settle and become self-reliant. He emphasizes that true integration requires respect for different cultures rather than forced assimilation, citing Kazakhstan’s model of interethnic councils and urging Korea to cultivate multicultural talent. The award committee praised his long-term efforts, including memorials for Koryo-saram independence activists and ongoing social integration projects.
