130 North Korean Defectors Receiving Tuition Support Despite '0 Score'... Government Regulations Rendered Ineffective

[Image source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] It has been revealed that more than 130 North Korean defectors eligible for private university tuition support received educational expenses despite having a '0 score' in their previous semester grades. The original regulations limiting the recipients were not followed.

According to data on the "North Korean Defector Education Support Project" provided by the Ministry of Unification to Lee Tae-gyu, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the People's Party, a total of 130 defectors received private university education support funds from 2014 to 2018 despite having a 0 score in the previous semester. The total amount was 151.4 million KRW.

During the same period, 101 defectors received 96.32 million KRW in support funds even though they did not submit their grade reports, so their grades were not confirmed.

The Ministry of Unification has supported a total of 21 billion KRW for North Korean defectors' self-reliance, including half of the admission fees and tuition fees for private universities, in accordance with the Act on the Protection and Settlement Support of North Korean Defectors.

Originally, there was a regulation to suspend support if the average grade of the previous two semesters was below 70 out of 100 points, but this was not properly enforced.

Assemblyman Lee stated, "Educational support for North Korean defectors is an essential support for them to become self-reliant members of South Korean society, yet basic follow-up management was not done at all and it was operated as a routine," and added, "The Ministry of Unification needs to take action."

Meanwhile, according to the recent five-year "North Korean Defector Policy Council Meeting Status" submitted by the Ministry of Unification to Assemblyman Lee on the 27th, it was revealed that out of six meetings held since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017, three meetings were attended by working-level officials without policy decision-making authority as substitutes instead of the originally intended senior officials.

Assemblyman Lee pointed out, "The current administration is showing indifference to North Korean defector policies," and emphasized, "The government must keep in mind that policies for North Korean defectors are very important national policies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.