Ministry of Unification Reviews Crisis Management System After Discovery of Deceased North Korean Defector's Skeleton

40s Female Defector Found as Skeleton in Apartment in Dae

Ministry of Unification [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The Ministry of Unification has expressed its intention to reassess the crisis management system following the discovery of the skeletal remains of a North Korean defector who had been living alone.

An official from the Ministry of Unification said at a meeting with reporters on the 25th, "We deeply regret this incident," adding, "To prevent recurrence of such cases, we will review the current crisis management system for North Korean defectors and make improvements where necessary."

He continued, "Regarding the defector found this time, the Ministry of Health and Welfare notified the Ministry of Unification that 'there were signs of crisis, and a local government is currently investigating,'" and explained, "Due to criticism during the National Assembly audit about administrative waste, the Ministry of Unification is only confirming the safety of defectors excluded from local government investigations."

According to the Ministry of Unification, the deceased woman was included in the 2022 local government survey under the general welfare system and was excluded from the Ministry of Unification’s safety support team’s investigation. The Ministry has conducted six comprehensive surveys of vulnerable North Korean defectors up to last year and plans to verify whether the woman was included in those surveys.

Earlier, on the 19th, the skeletal remains of a woman in her 40s, a North Korean defector, were found in a rental apartment located in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. The police are investigating possible criminal charges and the cause of death. Based on the fact that the body was found wearing winter clothes, the police estimate that the woman died last winter.

The woman entered South Korea in 2002 and from 2011 to 2017 worked as a professional counselor at the NamBuk Hana Foundation under the Ministry of Unification, helping other North Korean defectors settle successfully, and was regarded as a successful case. She reportedly lost contact with acquaintances after quitting her counseling job at the end of 2017.

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