• Title/Summary/Keyword: North Koreans

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Assessment of Health and Nutritional Status of North Koreans Utilizing an Exhaustive Literature Search and Survey (문헌과 이탈 귀순자 설문조사를 통해 본 북한인의 보건영양상태)

  • 장남수
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.31 no.8
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    • pp.1338-1346
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    • 1998
  • North Korea has been experiencing a serious food shortage. However, the extent and magnitude of malnutrition and health problems are virturally unknown because a nationwide food and nutritional survey has never been conducted. To get a better udnerstanding of the situation., an exhaustive literature search on the health and nutritiona conditions of North Koreans was performed. We also obtained anthropometric data on 274 North Korean Defectors who are recently resettlers in the South. Some(137) measurements were taken at the time of entry to the South, and the remaining data was from the health and nutrition mail survey conducted by us on North Korean refugeee re-settlers. Health and inutritional status of North Koreans was found to be less than desirable as shown in high infant mortality rates, high mortality and morbidity rates of malnutriton-related infectious deseases, and smaller body sizes. Striking differences were noted in all of the above health and nutrition indicators between north and South Koreans. Considering the fact that North and South Koreans are homogeneous in their genetic back-ground, ours study results clearly demonstrate that the health and nutrition of North Koreas has deteriorated with the dhronic food shortage, which might have sorsened with a recent food crissi. The smaller and thinner adult stature proevailing in North Korea could play a significant negative role in the country's economy, since lower lean body mass has been associated with reduced work productivity that could hinder economic growth and development.

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South and North Korean Living Cultures: Their Differences and Integration(V) - Social Adjustment Programs for People from North Korea after Free Transmigration - (남북한 생활문화의 이질화와 통합(V) - 사회통합 후 북한이주민의 생활적응지원방안 -)

  • 이기춘;이기영;이은영;이순형;김대년;박영숙;최연실;민현선;박미영
    • Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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    • v.38 no.5
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    • pp.55-78
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    • 2000
  • The purpose of this project was to provide social adjustment programs for North Korean residents who might migrate into South Korea when free transmigration is allowed in the process of reunification. This study was composed of three parts. First, present social adjustment programs for defectors from North Korea were reviewed. Second, South Koreans attitude toward social adjustment programs for migrated North Koreans in the future was identified based on empirical survey research. Third, the social adjustment programs for migrated North Koreans were discussed from results of the depth interviews which were carried out with 10 North Korean defectors. To support migrated North Koreans' social adjustment in South Korea, this study proposed the first stage village which would have characteristic of group home. Education programs to support social adjustment of migrated North Koreans were developed according to their social adjustment stages. In the middle stage of adjustment model, education programs on living culture in South Korea could be adopted. Education programs related to the various aspects of living culture including consumption, clothing, food, housing, family, child rearing, adolescent education were specified and discussed in detail.

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A Glance at the Health Status and Food Intake of North Koreans (탈북자 면접을 통한 북한 주민의 건강과 식품섭취 실태 탐색)

  • 박영숙;이기춘;이기영;이은형;이순형;김대년;최연실
    • Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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    • v.2 no.3
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    • pp.396-405
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    • 1997
  • We performed this study to understand the health status and food intake of North Koreans. Information was collected by individual closed in-depth interviews of 11 escapers from North Korea as well as books, newspapers and North Korean movies. Interviews were done from October, 1996 to May, 1997, covering their heights and weights, their appearance and disease, food system and intake of various main/side foods, concern about health and hygiene. North Korean's height and BMI were lower than those of South Koreans. Difference of BMIs between North and South Koreans was profound in middle aged women than in other age groups. Childrem showed many malnutrition appearances of moon face, large abdomem, arrow-like legs, flaky skin, decolored hair, etc.. Main foods in North Korea were rice-shaped corn, corn flour, wheat flour and wet noodle, and side foods were kimchi and/or soups and steamed soy paste. Food supply system there seemed not to work normally for many years, so foods, especially in cities, has been extremely short in government-operating shops, but some in private market. Many housewives were eager to make and sell simple snack food products, We noticed that North korea schools didn't check students' health even though their medical policy was based on preventive medicine. Their living environmental hygiene was shown to be oyt of control.

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South and North Korean Living Cultures : Their Differences and Integration(IV) -Social Adjustment Problems of North Korean Defectors- (남북한 생활문화의 이질화와 통합(IV) -탈북인의 남한생활 적응실태와 문제 -)

  • 이기춘;이기영;이은영;이순형;김대년
    • Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.117-196
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    • 2000
  • The purpose of the study was to provide ground information to develop social adjustment programs for North Korean residents who might migrate into South Korea when free transmigration is allowed in the process of reunification. For this purpose, two research methods were employed. First, depth interviews for 10 North Korean defectors were used to find out their social adjustment realities and problems. In addition, empirical survey research was carried out with 397 subjects to identify South Koreans'altitude toward North Korean defectors and the willingness to support them financially and emotionally. North Korean defectors's social adjustment problems were approached based on lifestyle. The depth interviews revealed that difficulties the defectors had experienced at first were mainly in the aspect of consumption caused by lack of understanding about capitalism. However, they could overcome difficulties and assimilate their ways of living to those of South Koreans soon. Other adjustment problems in family living and child rearing especially related with values had more complicated issues. Results of the empirical survey showed that South Koreans' level of interest in defecters was moderate but they thought them rather positively, sympathetically. Concerning supports, South Koreans were agreeing with governmental support more with emotional support than financial support by individuals. In conclusion, present formal education programs provided to defectors were not effective enough for them to team South Korean living culture. To learn by living with interactions with South Koreans was one of the best policies to help defectors' adaptation. Findings that South Koreans were willing to help them emotionally matched and balanced with defectors' needs.

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The influence of North Korean defectors' psychological characteristics on their alienation (탈북자들의 심리적 특성이 소외감에 미치는 영향 - 탈북자들과 남한주민들 간의 비교를 중심으로 -)

  • Jae-Chang Lee;Young-Man Kim
    • 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.

A Study on the Housing Life Situations of North Koreans and Their Housing Behaviors Based on the Interview and Empirical Survey with Defectors (북한 주민의 주거생활실태와 주거행동에 관한 연구-탈북인 대상인 면접 및 설문조사 분석을 중심으로-)

  • 이기춘
    • Journal of Families and Better Life
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.221-238
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    • 1999
  • South and North Korean societies have been segregated during the past 50 years with different socioeconomic conditions and ideologies resulting in disparate living cultures even though sharing the same traditional culture. The purpose of this study was intended to examine the housing life situations of North Koreans their housing behaviors and their perceptions of differences between South and North Korean culture. The study was based on in-depth interviews and an tempirical survey with North Korean defectors. The interviews were conducted with ten defectors and the empirical survey was done with 158 North Koreans who escaped after 1990. This study revealed housing life situations such as housing type. length of residence housing layout finishing materials levels of housing facilities and the residential system. It also revealed housing dissatisfaction and housing behaviors while they were living in North Korea and attempted to discover the defectors' perceptions of the differ nces between their housing life in the South and North. The findings of this research will present a realistic and recent account of the housing situation in North Korea. We hope that the result of this study will serve to foster understanding between two Koreas.

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Experiences of Taking the Class of 『Unification and Nursing』 in Nursing College Students: How They Understood North Koreans (간호대학생의 「통일과 간호」교과목 수강 경험: 북한사람에 대한 이해)

  • Shin, Jung Eun;Hong, Soomin;Chu, Sang Hui
    • Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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    • v.34 no.3
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    • pp.444-456
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    • 2020
  • Purpose: This study aimed to understand a change in the awareness of nursing college students on the unification of the Korean peninsula and health care systems after providing unification and nursing education. Methods: After taking all sessions of the classes, seven participations responded in a semi-conducted focus group interview. The data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Results: Three themes and eight categories were deduced. Curiosity and expansion on an unfamiliar subject, and expansion of personal experience related to North Korea/Koreans were identified in the theme of challenges to the 'unification and nursing' subject. Confusion due to inconsistency with existing information, the realization of undiscerning attitude/judgement toward North Korea, and empathy and changing views of North Koreans were identified in the theme of expansion of the awareness for North Korea/Koreans. The beginning of a specific concern, the repetition of history, and North Korea still far away were identified in the theme of divided views of the imperativeness of unification. Conclusion: Through the findings of this study, we could examine how students in this study had deepen their understandings in terms of North Koreans beyond their personal experiences by taking the course of 『unification and nursing』.

North Korea's Overseas Transfer Dance - Focusing on Japan and China - (북한춤의 해외전파 : 일본과 중국을 중심으로)

  • Kim, Chae-Won
    • (The) Research of the performance art and culture
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    • no.22
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    • pp.185-221
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    • 2011
  • This study overseas compatriots in the North during the propagation and development of dance patterns and was going to be based, people living outside of the dance culture as a group of overseas Koreans, especially dance culture of Koreans in Japan, China are interested in and thought about the necessity of the study. Issues discussed in the literature of research results, autonomous community of Koreans in Japan ethnic Koreans and Chinese dance culture dance Choi Seung-hee starting point common was, two ethnic groups, directly or indirectly from the Choi Seung-hee learn to dance or have received specialized training to work, compiled by Choi Seung-hee Korea on the basis of basic dance training was learning the dance. In addition, specialized training and dance training institutions in the North Koreans in Japan Social Dance Group for the system, such as dance training in a separate place where talented people through the exhaust, to act in a professional troupes have maintained a system. In contrast, Chinese ethnic Koreans in Yanbian Autonomous University and Central University for Nationalities in the dance departments are stationed there, the transfer from the Joseon dance dance by educating gifted talents have been dispose, South Korea and similar aspects of the dance education system can be seen. Dance work based training and the tendency of Koreans in Japan in terms of social practice and dance in the North of basic training as basic training and specialized training, and work to represent the North korea's famous dance folk dance performances have been transmitted intact. In China, however, ethnic Koreans Choi Seung-hee compiled by borough basis and the work of the North korean dance training or specialized training received directly from her, she founded the dance student of Choi Seung-hee developed basic techniques of Chinese ethnic dance and ethnic Koreans in China, while receiving only Sewonaga dance training system as a deal on exchanges with the North Korean dance dancing free dance culture for creation peppered ethnic Koreans in China was formed. When passed down to the time, Koreans in Japan since the 1960s, society began to visit Pyongyang in the 1970s, subjected to a direct transfer, and education and through the 1990s, the North Koreans in Japan by inviting dancers and dance directly to basic training by getting education bukhanchum As can be seen in the spectacular aspects will have to reproduce. However, ethnic Koreans in China in the 1950s in districts in Beijing, Pyongyang and received direct guidance from Choi Seung-hee, Dancers from the North after Pyongyang rather than direct guidance on the occasion of his visit to China Dance Troupe was affected. On the other hand Korean dance since the 1990s, starting with Ethnic Koreans in China only began to absorb a different dance culture has been created. The same nation, yet living in the region and to configure the ethnic groups, the configuration of the system and political system, according to the North Dancing transfer process and the development pattern similar, but each of the identities to ensure their own traits with a dance culture, the formation and develop the arrival of You can find out. In other words, Koreans in Japan and Federation of Koreans in Japan under the control of social forces of the dance culture by Acculturation variation of dance culture, dance culture of the borough ethnic Koreans in China Acculturation by the voluntary and free borrowers were able to gauge the changes in development.

A Study on North Korea's Residential Environment in the Kim Jong-un

  • Sun-Ju KIM
    • The Journal of Economics, Marketing and Management
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.11-18
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present policy implications by analyzing the residential environment in North Korea under the Kim Jong-un regime. Research design, data, and methodology: Residential environment analysis was reviewed by dividing it into physical, socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and policy aspects. Results: Pyongyang are considerably superior due to it being the residence of the country's leadership and middle class. Secondly, there is a concerning problem with the provision of substandard housing. Construction materials are in short supply, and unreasonable timelines often lead to uninhabitable houses, signaling a need for assistance in housing construction. Thirdly, there is a severe lack of essential residential infrastructure, such as reliable electricity and clean water supply, which significantly impacts the quality of life. Lastly, due to the country's economic hardships, basic housing rights are not guaranteed, leading to deplorable living conditions for many North Koreans. The report suggests that these issues should be addressed through international aid to guarantee the basic human rights of North Koreans. Conclusions: In North Korea, the poor living environment deteriorates the health and quality of life of citizens and adversely affects social and economic development. Therefore, international support and cooperation to improve the living environment of North Koreans is important.

Still life with less: North Korean young adult defectors in South Korea show continued poor nutrition and physique

  • Choi, Seul-Ki;Park, Sang-Min;Joung, Hyo-Jee
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.136-141
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    • 2010
  • North Korean defectors who settle in South Korea have experienced severe food shortage and transition of food environment which could affect their health status. However, little is known about their anthropometric measurements and dietary intake after settlement in South Korea. The purpose of this study is to compare anthropometric measurements and dietary intake between North Korean young adults who defected to South Korea and those of South Koreans. We hypothesized that North Korean young adults' physiques and dietary intake would be poorer than that of South Koreans. We compared anthropometric measurements and dietary intake from 3-day food records in a cross-sectional study of 103 North Korean young adult defectors, aged 12 to 24 and 309 South Korean subjects. North Korean subjects were significantly shorter (4.9 to 10.8 cm) and lighter (6.0 to 12.5 kg) than the control group. Body mass index were significantly different between North and South Korean groups only in men. North Korean young adult defectors had lower mean daily intakes of energy and most nutrients and food groups compared to the control group, while North Korean subjects had higher nutrient density diet than that of South Koreans. The proportion of subjects who had dietary intakes of nutrients of less than the Estimated Average Requirement was higher in North Korean subjects than in controls except for in the cases of vitamin A and vitamin C. In conclusion, we recommend providing nutrition support programs for North Korean young adult defectors to secure adequate nutrient intake.