We made a viral thread about Yeonmi Park on Twitter (https://twitter.com/prolewiki/status/1666904605085630465) and in it, I said that the SK defectors who flee to the DPRK exist, but are not really covered.

I know they exist, but the problem is, when I try to google it, I of course only find DPRK “defectors” to SK because that’s what dominates the discourse.

Does anyone have some reading material or sources that could help me write this thread? Alternatively, you can help me write the thread for ProleWiki too if you want.

  • @GarbageShootAlt
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    10 months ago

    They are much rarer because most “defectors” are just economic refugees fleeing poverty, along with the fact that if you’re poor and live in SK, there are normally other places you can go that are much easier, cheaper, and safer to get to than the DPRK.

    It also bears mentioning that there’s a bit of human trafficking going from the DPRK to SK

    • @GarbageShootAlt
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      310 months ago

      From the wikipedia article:

      contemporary South Korean defectors born outside of North Korea are generally not welcome to defect to the North. In recent years there have been seven people who tried to leave South Korea, but they were detained for illegal entry in North Korea, and ultimately repatriated. As of 2019, there are reportedly 5461 former South Korean citizens living in North Korea.

      There has also been fatalities as a result of failed defections. One defector died in a failed murder-suicide attempt by her husband while in detention. One person who attempted to defect was shot and killed by South Korean military forces in September 2013.

      It goes on to give a list of what it deems notable cases.

  • @afellowkidM
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    29 months ago

    I think cases of north Koreans who went to the south (willingly or not), and then wanted to go back to DPRK are more common than south Koreans defecting to DPRK. When it comes to south Koreans who have defected to the north, I’m under the impression it’s rather uncommon in recent times. I assume it would have been more common in the 1980s and earlier, when the north’s industrial/economic development was doing well compared to the south and the south had a series of torture-ridden right wing dictatorships as they tried to raise their economy’s performance. I think that people leaving both ROK and DPRK for economic reasons (rather than ideological ones) generally take the path(s) of least resistance, and due to the geopolitical situation, this can mean leaving Korea entirely.

    I will share what I know of that is somewhat related, although it may not be directly what you are asking for:

    Regarding north Koreans who went or were taken south, then wanted to return to DPRK ("double defectors", political prisoners, and trafficking victims)

    This article points out the somewhat recent finding that nearly 1 in 5 north Korean defectors “regret” coming to south Korea (although they may be fine with their decision to leave DPRK). A researcher in the article is also quoted saying: “the suicide rate for defectors is over double that of South Koreans and there has been a recent rise in defectors leaving the South — including those returning to North Korea”.


    Regarding south Korean authorities methods for preventing people from returning north (detention, torture, surveillance, false accusations, etc.)

    A 2016 documentary called “Spy Nation” (or 자백) covers some cases like this, where north Korean people (as well as some Zainichi Koreans, iirc) faced torture and false accusations by the south Korean government. iirc the documentary shows cases of people who were tortured by the south Korean intelligence service and also touches on a death of someone who was under NIS watch, and false documents being created by the NIS to incriminate people as spies. I believe in this documentary there are people who wish to return to DPRK but aren’t being allowed to, although it’s been a while since I saw it. “Loyal Citizens” also covers some similar cases although with less focus on the lies and forged documents of the NIS.


    Regarding south Korean activists who went north risking jail sentences upon their return south; and south Korean political prisoners requesting to go north

    Although not defectors, there are south Koreans who willingly risk jail sentences in order to visit north Korea. This tends to be unification/peace activists (both liberals and leftists) who go to the north, knowing that when they come back to the south, they are going to jail for a number of years. Examples include Moon Ik-hwan, Noh Su-hui (video of him getting dragged away by south Korean authorities), and Lim Su-kyung.

    I can also think of a case of a former political prisoner who was from the south, probably arrested by the south in the 1950’s or 1960’s and released in the 1990’s, who was likely among the people requesting to be sent to DPRK during a movement of repatriation requests in the 90s-2000s. I don’t know his name, nor whether or not he was among the people who were eventually allowed to go to DPRK (most of them had been from the north originally iirc) or whether he remained in the south. I could try to look into this if you want to know.



    If anyone spots errors in my post, please let me know.

    • @CriticalResist8OPA
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      39 months ago

      Thanks a lot for your reply! I’ll take a look through it later