• Human Ecology Research
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.317-330
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• 2018

Objectives: This study explores the characteristics of family migration for North Korean defectors and classifies family migration by examining who initiated the migration and who followed. Method: We analyzed the family migration using detailed stories from fifty-five North Korean defectors who were interviewed between 2005 and 2011. Results: We found that 43 out of 55 cases were family migration and the remaining 12 cases were single person migration. We also found several characteristics typical of migration. First, family migration followed the process of step migration, which indicated a serial migration in numbers. Second, migration relied heavily on informal social networks. Finally, the process of earlier migration by North Koreans was incidental and unexpected; however, unexpectedness has diminished in recent migration. Looking at who initiated the migration, the most common type was 'mother-initiated' cases (14 cases) followed by 'child-initiated' cases (10 cases). The third most common type was 'mother-child accompanied' cases (7 cases). The migration process was various; however the most common type was when a married woman initiated the family migration process. This is most likely because married women have the responsibility to support families in the informal economy of North Korea. According to the range of family migrated, the most common type was 'nuclear-family only' cases (22 cases) followed by 'maternal extended family migration' cases (12 cases). Conclusions: The findings of this study provide information on the family dynamics of North Korean defectors.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.63-74
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• 2007

As the number of North Koreans defectors entering South Korea with their family members increases, it becomes more important to explore the family characteristics that facilitate their adjustment. The data used in the present study was collected from a survey of 195 North Korean defectors. The aim of this study was to investigates how the structural and relational aspects of family influence the socio-cultural adjustment of North Korean defectors. The structural characteristics of family life included whether or not the defectors exited with their family members, whether they were living with family members, and whether they were living with family members under the age of 18. The relational characteristics included family cohesion and adaptability. The study results showed that living with young family members was negatively associated with the social activity restriction problems commonly perceived by North Korean defectors. Family cohesion was also negatively associated with the social activity restriction problems and positively associated with the social isolation problems. The results of this study also showed that family adaptability was not significantly associated with any socio-cultural adjustment problems.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.44 no.7 s.221
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• pp.141-152
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• 2006

This study explores the social-cultural adjustments of North Korean defectors with respect to their self-esteem and internal attribution. The data were obtained from a survey of 195 North Korean defectors who had recently entered South Korea. The respondents had moderate difficulties in their social-cultural adjustment consisting of social activity restriction, discrimination, and social exclusion. Their social-cultural adjustment was positively associated with internal attribution. Those with internal attribution tended to have fewer problems in adjusting to the social systems and culture of South Korea. The findings of this study imply that psychological resources play a role in enhancing the social-cultural adjustment of North Korean defectors.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.488-498
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the influence of trauma experiences and social adjustment on health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors. Methods: The subjects were 117 North Korean defectors living in B and Y city. The data were collected from September 1 to September 20, 2014, and analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: Significant differences were found in the health-related quality of life with respect to the subjects' education, marriage status, types of dwelling, family types, duration of residence in South Korea, jobs in South Korea and in North Korea, families left in North Korea or other surrounding countries, and subjective health status. Health-related quality of life is negatively related to trauma experiences during escape from North Korea and during their life in South Korea. Health-related quality of life positively is related to social adjustment. The meaningful variables which influenced the subjects'health-related quality include social adjustment, job in South Korea, job in North Korea, current family structure, and trauma experiences in South Korea. Total explanatory power of these factors for health-related quality in North Korean Defectors is 43.0% and social adjustment is the most influential factor. Conclusion: Therefore, in order to enhance health-related quality of life in North Korean defectors, it is necessary for them to increase social adjustment and decrease trauma experiences. In addition, methods are needed to provide job opportunities, better education and family services for North Korean defectors.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.1-17
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to understand North Korean female defectors' experiences in China. 13 female defectors were interviewed. Before they extricated from North Korea, they expected to make money to survive with their family in North Korea. But it couldn't be done because they didn't have legal status in China. They were at the risk of exposing to traffickers in females and of repatriation to North Korea. Surviving in China, they realized they were “Chosun(North Korean) females”; it meant they were in extremely poor and were sold by traffickers. It made them put to shame and be hurt their pride as a Chosun national identity. On the other hand, they realized they had narrow experiences and a limited outlook on international issues. They made themselves accustomed to freedom from the Chinese Revolution ; some of them experienced achievement. In general, they were satisfied with physical needs, but lacks of safety and worth in life. Even though, they couldn't return to North Korea because they were afraid of being punished by their government, and of striking their family a fatal blow in their successful lives of the society.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.51
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• pp.223-249
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze the actual situation of crime victimization by North Korean defectors and to examine whether any of the protection and support systems for defectors has a statistically significant effect on the perceived effectiveness for preventing the criminal victimization of North Korean Defectors. The subjects of this study were 107 police officers from the 17 provincial police departments. Independent variables were (1) social adaptation education in Hanawon, (2) protection officer system, (3) legal support system, (4) private participation system, (5) support for family life, (6) community participation activity. And the dependent variable is the crime prevention effectiveness for the defectors. As a result of multiple regression analysis, it was found that the independent variables that have a significant effect on the effectiveness of prevention of crime victimization were protection officer system and support for family life. First, in order to prevent the crime victimization of North Korean defectors in advance, three kinds of protection officer system that will be received after the transfer of the residence should play the role successfully. Second, the efforts of the government and municipalities alone are insufficient for the early settlement of North Korean defectors. Therefore, it is necessary to diversify the support and protection programs for North Korean refugees through cooperation with civic organizations. Third, it is necessary to expand the legal education time so that North Korean defectors do not suffer crime because of lack of legal knowledge. Fourth, in order to prevent North Korean defectors from being victimized by various kinds of crime, it is necessary to actively support them so that family life can be stabilized.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.455-470
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate of the North Korean adolescents defectors' mathematics learning. We have investgated the characteristics of the North Korean adolescents defectors' mathematics learning states and their difficulties in mathematics learning. As a result, the affective domain of the North Korean adolescents defectors was less confident, worthy, and motivated to learn than the South Korean students. The abandonment rate of the North Korean adolescents defectors was higher than that of the South Korean students. According to the results of the survey, the North Korean adolescents defectors who attended elementary school in Korea compared to the births of the North Koreans and other countries had higher interest and desire for learning. Especially, the result showed that the difficulty of learning the mathematics of the North Korean defectors was the linguistic factor.

• 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 the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.71-86
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate North Korean child defectors and South Korean children's pro-social moral reasoning, pro-social decision-making, moral reasoning and moral judgement on violence. The participants were 82 North Korean child defectors and 186 South Korean children in Seoul and Kyunggi Province. All respondents answered self-report questionnaires including 6 stories of pro-social moral conflicts and 4 stories of moral conflicts on violence. Data were analyzed by independent sample t-test, $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, repeated measure ANOVA and one-way ANOVA. The major findings were as follows. First, North Korean child defectors showed a bigger difference between the level of pro-social moral reasoning in close relationship situations and that in distant relationship situations than South Korean children did. In the 11-13 year old group, North Korean child defectors showed lower level of pro-social moral reasoning than that of South Korean children. Second, children showed more helping responses in close relationship situations than in distant relationship situations. The 11-13 year old group Children also showed more helping responses than the 14-16 year old group did. Third, 11-13 year old South Korean children showed a higher level of moral reasoning on violence than the North Korean child defectors did. Finally, North Korean child defectors judged violence with a justifiable intention as being more wrong than South Korean children did.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.41-66
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• 2005

The goal of this study was to investigate factors influencing North Korea defectors's psychological alienation by comparing South Koreans and North Korean defectors in the sense of values, lifestyles, attribution styles and stereotypes. To pursue this goal, a questionnaire was distributed to 143 South Koreans and 99 North Korean defectors, According to results, in comparison with South Koreans, North Korean defectors placed more values on 'nation' than 'individual or family', on the 'support of parents' than 'a great success', In the lifestyles, the North Korean defectors than South Koreans put higher significance in 'traditional familism', 'traditional collectivism', 'social consciousness', and 'traditional hierarchy'. As for stereotypes, South Korean people considered the North Korean defectors defiant, critical, egoistic, and competitive people. Also, South Koreans perceived North Korean defectors as more negatively than North Korean defectors did themselves. In case of alienation, North Korean defectors reported that their workplace was the most common place where they were alienated. As a result of investigating factors investigating the North Korean defectors' alienation, it showed that 'affluent life' in their values, 'cultural openness' in the lifestyles, and 'inside attribution' in the attribution styles were critical. Finally, it discussed limitations of the present study and the research required in the future.