• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.101-126
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• 2003

The purpose of present study is to investigate what is the most important factor among personality, social relation perception, and cultural influence on North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias, and how their self-enhancement bias influences on their psychological adaptation in South Korea. To implement this, we compared the self-enhancement bias of South Korean undergraduates and North Korean Defector undergraduates, and social desirability, too. However, there was no significant result. Based on this outcome, we focused on 121 North Korean Defectors' self-enhancement bias mechanism. We found that personality and social relation perception factors influenced significantly on their self- enhancement bias and furthermore their self-enhancement bias affected on their psychological adaptation. In addition to this, we identified sex difference at this mechanism. That is, women showed the same pattern with the existing findings in the study of self-enhancement bias mechanism, but men showed somewhat different pattern.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.329-338
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• 2017

This study aims to examine heterogeneous acculturation patterns of elite North Korean female defectors in South Korea. The study employed a synthetic comparative analysis. A series of in-depth interviews with 5 North Korean female defectors in South Korea were conducted. In addition, the research team implemented 20 open-ended surveys with other defectors. Through this study, we have found various types of cultural adaptation in the group of the elite North Korean women in South Korea. The study findings imply that it is imperative to establish national policies that support different types of North Korean defectors. Putting all North Koreans into one category might result in alienation and discrimination to some groups. Thus how the participants reframed their social identify in South Korea illuminates essential facets of human-right education, especially education for refugees and immigrants in different global and multi-cultural contexts.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.524-530
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• 2017

Unlike in the past, North Korean defectors are not merely satisfied at escaping the regime; they now consider their escape as a form of immigration to pursue a better life. This study examines the adaptation status of North Korean defectors and suggests a plan to cope with the associated challenges accordingly. The current status of North Korean defectors is analyzed based on a literature review and the latest data on their current status, along with their actual adaptation progress to South Korean society and other factors related to the difficulty in their social adjustment. The number of North Korean defectors has increased rapidly since 2000, but the number started to fall in the wake of the inauguration in 2012 of the Kim Jong Eun regime. In addition, North Korean defectors arriving after 1999 are significantly less educated and from lower levels in terms of their occupation and livelihood than those who arrived before. The factors related to North Korean defectors' maladjustment to South Korean society include: difficulties in performing economic activities, differences in the political and economic systems, and cultures, of the two Koreas, and other difficulties stemming from family relations. If the difficulties North Korean defectors experience in adapting to South Korean society are resolved with the support of North Korean defectors and facilities of South Korean society, North Korean defectors will be able to settle down successfully. It is also important for North Korean defectors to strive to adapt to South Korean society by sharing their emotion with the members of society. Therefore, in order for North Korean defectors to adapt smoothly to South Korean society, it is necessary to plan some concrete ways that would reduce social and financial burdens nationwide.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.66
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• pp.147-178
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to clarify the contribution of Christian faith in the process of establishing self-identity and stably settling in the process of North Korean youth settling in Korean society. The research method used narrative. Participants in the study were nine late youth who belonged to the church, aged 17 to 24 years old, who had been in Korea for more than one year. Through this study, themes were derived from four categories. First, a retrospective narrative of the North Korean defection motive was dealt with. Second, it deals with the psychological adaptation process and unsolved tasks. Third, I dealt with the thoughts of the family, the discourse and vision for unification, which they dream of in Korean society as Christian believers. Fourth, it is about the Christian faith, and it is said that the Christian faith gives North Korean refugee youth the power to reflect on their lives, and to see the essence of life through the values of interest in others, history, society, and the kingdom of God. These results are based on the encounters with church and alternative school leaders and various curriculums that North Korean refugee youth experience and talk about. In the sense that it seeks and suggests a new direction in the era of preparation for unification, this article can be said to be of great value for Christian education.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.307-343
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• 2010

This study, based on grounded theory, explores the child-rearing process of defecting North Korea women in South Korea. Interviews were conducted with five defecting North Korea women who had children. With the permission of the participants, the interviews were recorded with the digital recorder and transcribed by the researchers. Data were collected with in-depth interviews and observations until they were saturated. The interviews were analysed according to the constant comparative method used in grounded theory. The study derived 86 concepts, 31 subcategories and 11 categories in open coding. A core category was 'enduring hardships with hopes for children's success ' in selective coding. And The child-rearing process of the defecting North Korea women takes 'stage of entry', 'stage of confrontation', 'stage of struggle', 'stage of adjustment' and 'stage of hope for children's success'. The findings of the study will be useful in seeking an effective social welfare intervention plan for successful child-rearing of defecting North Korea women in South Korea.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.117-122
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• 2017

North Korean youth is a youth aged 6 to 18 who lives in a South Korean society after having left North Korea. In this study, photo-in-education (PIE) provides North Korean youths with opportunities for cultural and arts education, and to help them adjust themselves to South Korean society. As a result, they, as young people who are exploring a new life in South Korea, have been able to express their own inner world through photos, videos, and writings. Also, young people have developed a bright and clear mind, and enhanced an expressive power and logical power that helps grow healthily and intelligently. Further, it is the aim of this education to help them to have a positive feeling for society and to do their best to become a healthy member of society, who will be able to contribute to society. Through PIE, it was found that North Korean defectors were able to see themselves positively and express their own inner self positively, despite that they are still in the negative and shady side of life.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.67-75
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• 2016

The financial difficulties which North Korean refugees encounter during the process of transition into South Korean society is due to their low income and insufficient expertise. Hence this research was conducted for the purpose of improving the policy and system to support North Korean refugees' starting of businesses. As a result, the self-efficacy, which is one of the individual characteristics, influences the motivation for starting business. In addition, it has been revealed that the motives and education on starting business also influence the motivation for starting business. By observing regulation effect of social adaptation, it has been found out that the interaction between the personal characteristics such as risk-taking attribute and the previous experience of starting business, along with interaction effect on social adaptation and motives and social adaptation, is statically influencing as well. On the basis of results, to efficiently support North Korean refugees' starting business, it is necessary to conduct education on starting business to boost their self-efficacy and the support must be executed based on their levels of motives, risk-taking attribute and social adaptation.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.189-224
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• 2010

Nowadays Korean society has a fast growing population of North Korean immigrant youth. Especially, North Korean immigrant youth, who are discontinuing formal education, experience difficulties in social exclusion and adaptation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of adaptation and social support of North Korean immigrant youth discontinuing formal education, and to seek affirmative supporting plans and solutions for their adaptation. The methodology utilized for this study was a case study research. On the basis of the results and categorization, 'a network between overall categories and of early adaptation' was derived. The major findings of this study are summarized as follows. First, the participants of this study experienced major difficulties during 'economical adaptation', and their economical adaptation was strongly interrelated with their 'educational adaptation'. The discontinuing of their education resulting from their fleeing period caused 'academic differential and age disparity.' Thus they could not enroll in the formal education system, and their insufficient educational background resulted in low wages and overwork due to manual labor jobs. Second, participants recognized 'interpersonal relations' as the most essential factor in adaptation, and 'social support' from the interpersonal relations played an important role in adaptation to and comfort in Korean society. 'Interactions with South Koreans' was recognized as a significant resource for gaining informational and appraisal support, but was not activated satisfactorily. On the other hand, interaction with North Korean immigrants was avoided by the reason that 'there's nothing to learn', however emotional support from North Korean immigrants of close relationship played an important role in participants' adaptation, especially in all aspects of psychological adaptation. Third, participants experienced a lot of difficulties and stresses in their 'physical health and psychological adaptation'. Their chronic diseases worsened by remaining untreated, and female perceived symptoms were observed more often than in male. Meanwhile, excessive 'stresses' from the unfamiliar environment of South Korea negatively affected their psychological adaptation. However, they were satisfied with sense of liberty and security from living in a democratic society.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.120-139
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• 2017

The purpose of this research was to explore life history of an elderly woman who fled from North Korea and to understand and provide interventions for female North Korean Defector. The participant of this research is an 81-year-old woman who escaped from North Korea and has lived in South Korea for over 14 years. This life history study followed the analysis of Mandel baum(1973) pointing three perspectives of life: dimensions, turnings, and adaptations. This study concluded that the participant of the research study had no protection while staying in China and North Korea and had experience of Homo Sacer. And even after arriving to South Korea the participant had to live her life with the past negative experiences in North Korea and China. Based on the research results discussions and implications were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.33-54
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• 2007

This study was performed to develop a group counseling program for the South Koreans and the North Korean defectors to identify mutual cultural characteristics and personal traits, and to acquire adaptation capacity for the other's culture and interpersonal relationship. And then we validated the effect of this group program. This program was based on the existing program even if that was not validated through research work. Actually this program was for encouraging the South Koreans and the North Korean defectors to acquire interpersonal ability through mutually dependent and cooperative work based on the equal status naturally and to adjust themselves to corresponding culture. Each session continued for 1.5 hour per week. And the sessions were done for 4 weeks. This research was analysed, and the results were compared with control group's results. The results showed that treatment group revealed significantly positive outcomes than control group. But, five participants among the North Korean defectors were dropped out in the course. So North Korean defectors' credibility got lowered.