Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.7318/KJFC/2021.36.1.56

Qualitative Study on Dietary Experience in South Korea for North Korean Defector Adolescents  

Lee, Jieun (Nutrition Education Major, Graduate School of Education, Gachon University)
Um, Mihyang (Nutrition Education Major, Graduate School of Education, Gachon University)
Kye, Seunghee (Nutrition Education Major, Graduate School of Education, Gachon University)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture / v.36, no.1, 2021 , pp. 56-65 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study examined the background of the dietary life of North Korean defector adolescents born and raised in North Korea and their new South Korean dietary experiences after being settled in South Korea. The study included six North Korean defector adolescents enrolled in an alternative school located in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. This study's qualitative research methodology included two-by-two group interviews, followed by individual interviews and field observation. The study period was from September 14 to October 26, 2019. Before entering South Korea, they primarily ate food pickled with soybean and salt, a cooking method by which foods are preserved because refrigerators were unavailable. After settling in South Korea, they had difficulty adapting to South Korean foods because of the unfamiliar ingredients and recipes. On the other hand, they quickly adapted to some foods, such as chicken. The participants reported that North Korean foods are generally light, whereas South Korean foods are sweet, salty, and spicy; hence, they do not taste delicious. The results suggest that attention be paid to menu improvement and the provision of nutritional education by schools and the government to prevent undernourishment or malnourishment because of unfamiliar ingredients and recipes.
Keywords
North korean defector adolescents; dietary life; qualitative research;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 An BM. 2018. The actual situation of North Korea's transportation infrastructure, and the direction of the Korean peninsula transportation network establishment. Planning and policy. Sep:35-41
2 An JH, Yun YN. 2010. Current status of North Korean water resources, water supply and demand prospect (1), and the hydrological characteristics and water use of river basins in North Korea. Water for Future, 43(4):17-26
3 Bae YD. 2002. Tradition and change of ethnic cuisine through the doenjang. The Korean Folklore, 35:51-78
4 Chae OH. 2005. The supply of household appliances and their use. Korean J. Hum. Ecology, 14(4):693-707
5 Chang NS, Kang EY, Lee JM, Lee MK. 2000. Anthropometric measurements and dietary patterns of North Korean migrant children in china. Korean J. Nutr., 33(3):324-331
6 Choi MK, Kim MJ, Kang MH. 2015. Awareness survey on Korean traditional festival food of North Korean defectors living in South Korea. J. East Asian Soc. Dietary Life, 25(4):565-573   DOI
7 Go YS, Jeon ER, Jung LH. 2013. The dietary habits and perception of vegetable intake of elementary students in Gwangju and Jeonnam. J. Korean Soc. Food Sci. Nutr., 42(2):223-233   DOI
8 Choi SK, Min SJ, Cho MS, Joung H, Park SM. 2011. Anxiety and depression among North Korean young defectors in South Korea and their association with health-related quality of life. Yonsei Med. J., 52(3):502-509   DOI
9 Choi SK, Park SM, Joung HJ. 2009. Development of a comprehensive health promotion program for North Korean young adult defectors in South Korea. J. Korean Soc. School Health, 22(1):73-83
10 Division of Training and Development. 2008. North reality seen through the Food Institute of Unification Education Publisher, Korea, pp 32-66
11 Han YH. 2010. Influential factor on Korean dietary life and eating behaviour of female marriage immigrants. Master's degree thesis, Hanyang University, Korea, pp 39-41
12 Hwang HG. 2019. A study on the estimation of power demand in North Korea. Master's degree thesis, Korea University, Korea, pp 16-21
13 Im HJ. 2004. All about water. J. of Korean Sci. of Water and Wastewater, 6:166-167
14 Institute of North Korean food. 2012. North Korean food, North Korean traditional food research and excavation project. Seoul, Korea, pp 1-228.
15 Jung LJ, Song YG, Chung, LN, Choe EO. 2013. Characteristics on lipid and pigments of lotus root, dried laver, and perilla leaf bugak (Korean fried cuisine) made by Korean traditional recipe. Korean J. Food Cook Sci., 29(6):805-814.   DOI
16 Kim SH. 1996. The changes of housework following the introduction of household technology: Centering on household capital goods invited by modern scientific technology. Doctoral degree thesis, Seoul National University, Korea, pp 20-24
17 Kim GB, Choi MJ, Kwon YD, Noh JW. 2014. Affecting changes of meal into stress and depression among North Korea Juvenile. North Korean Stud. Rev., 18(2):311-333
18 Kim JG, Han MY, Lee DS, Park SA, Kim GH. 2008. A comparative study on environmental policy in South and North Korea. Seoul, Seoul National University Press, Korea, pp. 249-258
19 Kim JH, Kim, YS, Kim, Y, Kang MS. 2013. Fruit and vegetable consumption and factors affecting fruit and vegetable consumption of school children and adolescents: findings from focus-group interviews with school nutrition teachers and nutritionists. Korean J. Community Living Sci., 24(4):567-581   DOI
20 Kim MJ, Jeong HS. 2011. Study on dietary habits of North Korean refugees. J. East Asian Soc. Dietary Life, 21(1):1-13
21 Kwak GJ, Kim HR, Park SY. 2008. A study on the physical growth, psychological development, and welfare service needs of North Korean children and adolescents living in South Korea. Material linked to the National library of Korea, 2:1-115
22 Lee EJ, Pei YQ, Kim EM. 2013. Survey of the adaptation and preference for South Korean food in North Korean refugees. Culi. Sci. & Hos. Res.,19(2):93-110   DOI
23 Lee I, Park H, Kim Y, Park H. 2011. Physical and psychological health status of North Korean defector children. J. Korean Acad. Child Health Nurs., 17:256-263   DOI
24 Lee KE, Hong WS, Kim MH. 2005. Students' food preferences on vegetarian menus served at middle and high schools. J. Korean Diet. Assoc., 11(3):320-330
25 Lee SK. 2017. North Korean children: nutrition and growth. Ann. Pediatr. Endocrinol. Metab., 22(4):231-239   DOI
26 Ministry of unification. 2020. Unification white paper. Ministry of unification Korea, pp 147-170
27 Lim EC. 2016. An analysis of the determinants of rich-poor gap between regions in North Korea. Unification Probl. Res., 28(2):91-126
28 Lim SC. 2005. The reality of North Korea based on dietary life. Institute for Unification Education. Korea, pp 7-8, 42-46.
29 Ministry of unification. 2017. Unification white paper. Ministry of unification Korea, pp 156-199
30 National Editorial Writing. 2003. How do people live in the north? Sunin Book, Korea, pp 73-75
31 Park GY. 1970. Direction of Korean agricultural development. Christian Home & Family Life Association in Korea, Apr:31-37
32 Park MS, Lee JN. 1999. Difficulties of North Korean families in adaptation to South Korea and countermeasures, Internatiional J. Korean Unification Stud., 17:3-73
33 Park SH, Lee TG. 2010. Investigation of the preferred taste of water of Keimyung University Students. J. Nakdong River Environmental Res. Inst., 14(1):87-96
34 Park YS, Rhee KC, Lee KY, Rhee EY, Yi SH, Kim DN. 1999. Dietary living in North Korea according to the defectors. Korean J. Community Nutr., 4(1):64-73
35 Van Kaam, A. 1969. Existential Foundations of Psychology. Doubleday, USA, pp 1-369
36 Concern Worldwide. 2020 Global Hunger Index (GHI). https://www.globalhungerindex.org/, [accessed 2020. 11. 20]
37 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). 2012. Democratic People's Republic of Korea final report of the national nutrition survey 2012. Available from: https://www.ncnk.org/, [accessed 2020. 11. 20]
38 Lee YJ, Kim KM, Kim MJ, Kim YK, Song JE, Lee YS et al. 2016. Development and evaluation of family life education program for North Korean defector adolescents in South Korea. J. Korean Home Economics Education Association, 28(1):41-57   DOI
39 Ministry of Unification. 2019. Current status of North Korean refugee entry. Available from: https://www.unikorea.go.kr/, [accessed 2020. 11. 20]
40 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). 1998. World Food Program. Nutrition survey of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Report by the EU, UNICEF and WFP of a study undertaken in collaboration with the Government to DPRK. Available from: http://www.wfp.org/, [accessed 2020. 11. 20]
41 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). 2017. Situation analysis of children and women in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea-2017. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/, [accessed 2020. 11. 20]
42 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. World Food Programme 2011. Available from: http://www.fao.org/, [accessed 2020. 11. 20]