• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.101-130
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• 2012

This study examines mortality change in North Korea and its association with state production and welfare systems. Two main subjects are analyzed. The first theme is to examine the reliability of mortality related data released by North Korea government authorities. Examining inner consistencies among mortality related statistics and comparing with mortality trends in other socialist societies, the study finds that mortality rate was under estimated. Under-estimation of mortality by North Korean authorities is regarded to result not only from political purpose which aims to propagate the regime's superiority but also from enumeration errors of vital statistics based on the residence registration. The second theme is to estimate the change in mortality of North Korean people since the establishment of DPRK, correcting errors of mortality data. Mortality of North Korean people is estimated to have improved largely by the early 1970s, to have been sluggish hereafter, and finally to have increased during the economic hardship period between 1993 and 2008. While large people died during the food crisis in the late 1990s, however the population loss caused by mortality increase was not so great as the proposition of the huge starvation was expected. It is partly because population turbulence occurred not just by mortality increase, rather it has progressed in the joint effects of fertility decline and exodus of North Korean people for food. It is also due to North Korean people's voluntary activities of informal economy. It is also worth noting the high mortality rate of North Korean men. The high mortality of North Korean men is likely due to men's mobilization for long time in army and labor with high risk of accident and their life styles.

• 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.20 no.3
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• pp.627-634
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the employment policy for persons with disabilities, and to propose a policy development plan to promote employment of persons with disabilities in North Korea. For this purpose, this study reviewed the laws and employment status related in persons with disabilities in North Korea through literature studies and secondary data analysis as the context of the policy analysis. Since then, North Korea's employment policy for persons with disabilities was analyzed according to the framework of Gilbert and Specht(1974). The results of this study are as follows. First, the benefits of the North Korean employment policy for persons with disabilities are employment benefits and vocational skills development benefits. Second, segregated employment is mainly composed of employment policy for persons with disabilities. Third, the allocation of employment policy for persons with disabilities is centered on persons with mild and physical disabilities. Fourth, the delivery system of employment policy for persons with disabilities is segmented around the Cabinets and the People's Committee of each municipality. Based on the results of this analysis, this study suggests the development of employment policy for persons with disabilities in North Korea through the revision of regulations, the diversification of benefits, and the reorganization of delivery systems.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.52
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• pp.223-240
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• 2003

The present study is to identify personal factors of defecting North Korean residents that obstruct their settlement in South Korean communities. It will provide information about what perception, attitude and behaviors of defecting North Korean residents should be changed and what social skills should be improved in order to successfully adjust to South Korea. Personal obstacles were measured by police officers who are providing special protection for defecting North Korean residents, who are in a good position to observe behaviors of defecting North Korean residents because they are spending a great deal of time with them. They can even identify the personal obstacles not perceived by defecting North Korean residents themselves. Twenty-item scale was developed to measure the personal obstacles and was found to comprise 4 obstructing factors: self-supporting ability related factor, life style related factor, social and cultural adaptation related factor, and attitude toward police officer's support related factor. Among them, self-supporting ability related factor had the highest negative score. The study further revealed that self-support ability and life style related factors had a significant effect on the job burden of police officers. The findings suggested the necessity of ethical and moral education for the defecting North Korean residents.

• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• no.53
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• pp.79-115
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to understand the women's experiences of negative perception, discrimination and 'ethnicized stigma' in South Korea. For this purpose, data were collected through in-depth interviews from 8 women escaped from North Korea and 4 professionals. The findings of this study are as follows: Almost of them experienced negative perception and discrimination caused by language, pronunciation intonation, and differences of ways to express their emotions. And they experienced the disapproval as the native perception and confusion of ethnic identity. Several participants in this study try to build or organize their communities to give emotional and instrumental support for them. However, in these processes, they experience emotional conflicts and crises feelings of disorganization of their communities because of they didn't have experience to involve communities, and didn't have ideas of membership and their roles. And they were learned to criticize with each other in North Korea. They worry about their families' safety in North Korea. For this reason, they can't have trustful personal relationships among Koreans including people escaped from North Korea in South Korea. They want to participate in Korean's community activities, and learn to adjust to everyday lives in South Korea. In conclusion, based upon the outcomes of this study, it is expected that any practical implications or solutions for North Korean defector's welfare would be suggested.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.36
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• pp.39-69
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• 1998

The study is to grope for the unified device of the women's welfare policy in the United Korea by considering and comparing with the women's welfare in South Korea and North Korea centering on the women's welfare law and system among the social security laws and systems in the present both countries. The both Koreas have enforced the different women's welfare policies according to the different ideologies and constitutions. But in the welfare policy women are in the secondary stage by means of the ideology of sexual devision. It, therefore, is clear that the position of the North Korean woman goes in advance of the South Korean woman in the law and system. However, they are similar to the North Korean women in the aspects of the application of law and system. That is, both of them are discriminated not only in home and labor participation, but also in social welfare. There are the patriarchal family system and sexual devision of labor under the discrimination against woman. As though the both sexes are equal in law, the welfare law and system are applicated unequally to woman because of the ideology of sexual devision and familism which family should take the primary responsibility of welfare. From this perspective the women's welfare policy of the United Korea is not just to unify both laws and systems related women's welfare, but to search for the convergence on the higher level of quality and to make the real gender-equal society. The study suggests as the women's welfare the spread of the application of social welfare system, and social security network constructed through the mother protection policy, women's poverty and social security on basis of the primary principles such as the gender equal right as civil right, benefits of social welfare as social right, escape from the patriarchal familism, strengthening of resposibility of state and the principle of women participation in process of social welfare management. The device of women's welfare means building the social welfare system based on the real gender equality, so the unification will be the important turning point for the gender-equal society to the South-North Korean women.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.27-33
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• 2017

The problem of social adaptation of North Korean defectors is becoming increasingly important, as its core significance shifted from welfare to the preparatory stage of United Korea. Hence, this research tries to comprehend the 'factors that enhance their social adaptation'. For this end, by theoretically considering, support resources centered around economic goals did indeed increase the employment rate, but the 'premature social adaptation' did not help them form their own social identity. This led the employment to become another form of social failure and difficulty in social adaptation. Furthermore, by going through interview, the importance of 'social dependence' is emphasized and it was shown that it was 'relationship' that affects both social adaptation and difficulty in social adaptation. Accordingly, this research suggests that it is vital to make a communicative environment in which South and North Korean citizens can freely communicate. This will not only lead to enhancement of social adaptation to South Korean society, unsolvable by economic independence, but it will also lead to more effective 'economic support' policies.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.343-365
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• 2010

It is a follow-up study on acculturation types and adaptation level to South Korea among North Korean defecting adolescents who participated in the study with the same purpose five years ago(2003). The study of 2003(1st year study) was done with 90 adolescents, out of whom 46 participated in this study(2nd year study). The data from 46 subjects who participated in both 1st and 2nd studies were analyzed. The results on individual acculturation type showed that 40% of the respondents who belonged to 'marginal' or 'separated' types in the 1st study were changed to 'assimilated' or 'integrated' types in the 2nd. Twenty percent changed from 'assimilated' or 'integrated' types in the 1st study to 'marginal' or 'separated' in the 2nd. Furthermore, the higher is the acceptance level of South Korean culture, the lower are their psycho-social problems and the higher is the satisfaction level of daily lives in South Korea. While the higher is the preservation level of North Korean culture, the higher is aggression. Based on the results, the study developed discussion on diverse alternative plans for helping North Korean defecting adolescents in successfully adjusting to the South Korean society.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.121-149
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• 2006

In recent days North Korean refugees. who hope to move into and settle in South Korea, have been rapidly increasing. However their adaptation to South Korea is reported to have not been so much successful as they expected. Considering such situations, this study attempts to investigate their information needs and behavior. North Korean refugees have various and strong information needs for settlement and daily life. The strongest were information needs related to economic Problem, specifically job and business related information needs. It was followed by information needs related to social welfare, health and security child care and education, and North Korean situation In order to meet their information needs. North Korean refugees were heavily dependent on informal interpersonal information sources such as their family members. friends. and their own neighborhoods. as compared to such formal interpersonal information sources as Public officers. social welfare agents, and NGOs members. Meanwhile. their usage of mass media such as TV. newspapers, and internet as information sources was also heavy However the overall information environment surrounding them appeared to be relatively inferior to that of average South Koreans.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.335-344
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• 2011

There have been many leading researches on the North Korean Refugees who were settling in Korea which were mostly focused on raising the Defector issues and seeking how to improve those. It is not so easy to get over social and cultural gap and differences between the South and the North prolonged for more than half a century especially when the possibility of bulk of the North Korean Refugees rushing into the South by any contingency case is very high or South and North should expand social integration on the basis of mutual exchange and cooperation. Local government should grope for any policy switch which can help them have positive postures rather than simple support policy for settlement, as well.