236 North Korean Defectors Entered Korea Last Year... 20% Increase Compared to Previous Year

The total number of North Korean defectors who entered South Korea last year was 236, marking an approximately 20% increase compared to the previous year. This rise is attributed to defectors who had been residing long-term in third countries such as China during the COVID-19 pandemic entering South Korea belatedly.

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According to the "2024 North Korean Defector Entry Status" compiled by the Ministry of Unification, among the 236 defectors who entered last year, 26 were men and 210 were women. As of the end of last year, the cumulative number of entrants totaled 34,314 (9,568 men and 24,746 women). A Ministry of Unification official explained, "Those traveling via Southeast Asia and defectors who had long-term stays in third countries before the COVID-19 pandemic consistently accounted for a high proportion."

The overwhelmingly high proportion of women among the defectors is understood to be because surveillance on men inside North Korea is relatively strict, and it is easier for women to conceal their status as defectors in overseas countries such as China. Only three defectors crossed directly into South Korea through the Demilitarized Zone without passing through a third country.

The number of so-called "elite class defectors," such as diplomats, was in the single digits last year. These individuals do not go through Hanawon, the resettlement center that other defectors attend after entry, but instead receive separate protection measures from the National Intelligence Service.

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