On February 4, 2025, NK News reported on the arrival of 55 North Korean escapees in South Korea in late 2024, bringing the total number of defectors for the year to 236.
Unique Kim, human rights analyst at NKDB, provided key insights into the challenges faced by recent defectors. She highlighted the human rights abuses many endured while in transit, stating:
"A majority of the women interviewed by NKDB reported experiencing human trafficking, being sold by brokers to Chinese husbands."
Additionally, she noted the growing number of North Korean men among recent defectors, explaining:
"Many were former overseas workers who fled their workplaces and lived in hiding for years in host countries like Russia before making their way to South Korea."
Finally, she emphasized that low defection numbers reflect broader human rights concerns beyond North Korea itself:
"This underscores the need to examine North Korean human rights issues in the broader context of allied countries like Russia and China, where North Koreans—both defectors and state-dispatched workers—face transnational repression."
The full article can be accessed by clicking HERE
On February 4, 2025, NK News reported on the arrival of 55 North Korean escapees in South Korea in late 2024, bringing the total number of defectors for the year to 236.
Unique Kim, human rights analyst at NKDB, provided key insights into the challenges faced by recent defectors. She highlighted the human rights abuses many endured while in transit, stating:
Additionally, she noted the growing number of North Korean men among recent defectors, explaining:
Finally, she emphasized that low defection numbers reflect broader human rights concerns beyond North Korea itself:
The full article can be accessed by clicking HERE