When asked about their preferred alternative terms, 27.9 percent of the respondents chose “Hanamin,” implying the unification of the two Koreas, followed by another term, “Bukhyangmin,” meaning people whose hometown is North Korea. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 12 (Korea Bizwire) – Nearly 60 percent of North Korean defectors believe there is a need to change the legal term describing them, citing persistent negative perceptions associated with it, according to a survey released on Friday.
The survey was conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification, a state-run think tank, ahead of the official day for North Korean defectors, which falls on Sunday and was designated for the first time this year.
South Korea has a longstanding policy of accepting any North Korean defectors who want to live in the South and repatriating any North Koreans who stray into the South if they want to return. The total number of North Korean defectors came to 34,121, according to data from the unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs.
The survey showed that 58.9 percent of defectors responded that the term should be changed. In contrast, 28.9 percent of the respondents felt there was no need for a change, and 12.2 percent were unsure.
Among those who supported changing the term, 61 percent cited confusion and negative perceptions as the main reasons, it said.
When asked about their preferred alternative terms, 27.9 percent of the respondents chose “Hanamin,” implying the unification of the two Koreas, followed by another term, “Bukhyangmin,” meaning people whose hometown is North Korea.
The survey also highlighted a noticeable difference in perception between defectors and the general public regarding the level of support for defectors’ settlement.
The survey showed 78.1 percent of the defectors believe that support should be increased while 48.6 percent of the general public felt that the current level of support should be maintained.
The government provides 26 million won (US$18,800) in settlement fees for a single household, along with additional support packages, such as job-seeking assistance and household expense subsidies, the unification ministry said.
“While continuing to use the official legal term ‘North Korean Defector,’ it might be beneficial to consider using ‘Defector National’ socially to emphasize their status as citizens,” Lee Gyu-chang, a senior researcher, said.
The survey was conducted online from April 4 to April 11, targeting 500 general citizens and 505 North Korean defectors, all aged 18 and above.
(Yonhap)
