"Risking Their Lives" North Korean Defectors Crossing the Military Demarcation Line [Desperate Escape①]

The Reality of North Korean Defectors Explored Through the Movie 'Talju'
34,000 People... Majority Enter Indirectly Across the Tumen River
Most Defectors Crossing the Military Demarcation Line Are North Korean Soldiers
Burdened by Guilt for Escaping Alone

Editor's NoteThe recent hot topic in theaters is people crossing the Military Demarcation Line. In "Hijacking," Yongdae (Yeo Jin-goo) defects to the North, while in "Escape," Gyunam (Lee Je-hoon) attempts to defect to the South. The different directions point to the changing times. The former is set in the early 1970s, when fewer than ten people defected from North Korea annually. They were so rare that the government treated them as meritorious persons or defecting soldiers. This long-standing trend was reversed in the mid-1990s. The number of defectors increased exponentially. The main cause was economic changes in both South and North Korea. South Korea experienced rapid growth and greatly improved living conditions. Meanwhile, North Korea's planned economy collapsed under excessive political logic. Unprecedented natural disasters caused millions to starve. The North Korean regime itself named this period the "Arduous March," marking the worst ordeal. The aftermath continues to affect people like Gyunam, who risked their lives. This article revisits their real history and examines their actual conditions.

The Tumen River Becomes the "Escape River"

The number of North Korean defectors who have become South Korean citizens is about 34,000. Until 1997, the number was only 877. The situation changed as North Korea went through the so-called "Arduous March." In 1999, the number of defectors exceeded 100 for the first time in a year. In 2002, it surpassed 1,000, and in 2006, it broke 2,000.

A significant portion were women. From 2003 to 2020, women consistently made up over 60%. In 2018, the figure even exceeded 85%. Most defectors aimed to sustain their livelihoods. Since the 1990s, North Korea faced food shortages. Supply centers that distributed food once every two weeks effectively closed. As the authorities emphasized self-reliance, women had to take responsibility for providing meals. Seeking a way to survive, they eventually defected. Other reasons included medical treatment, escape, and encouragement from other defectors.

The majority crossed the Tumen River, known as the "Escape River." After arriving in China, they entered South Korea through various routes. Cases like Gyunam's, who crossed the Military Demarcation Line, are rare. The North Korean military maintains strict surveillance. Densely placed landmines and lethal traps can take lives instantly. Approaching is difficult, so in practice, only North Korean soldiers attempt it.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Daring Men Who Crossed the Military Demarcation Line

The most widely known successful defection across the Military Demarcation Line was by North Korean soldier Oh Cheong-seong in November 2017, who crossed the Panmunjom border. He abandoned a vehicle stuck in a swamp and ran south but was shot by his comrades and collapsed. He survived thanks to the meticulous operation of the South Korean and U.S. militaries and surgery by Dr. Lee Guk-jong. In February 1998, North Korean senior lieutenant (a rank between South Korean first lieutenant and captain) Byun Yong-gwan also defected through Panmunjom. He testified that he worked as a Panmunjom security officer.

Most defectors who crossed the Military Demarcation Line in other areas were also North Korean soldiers, mainly young men in their 20s and 30s. The methods varied. In October 2012, a knock-defection incident occurred on the eastern front of Gangwon Province. A North Korean soldier crossed the barbed wire managed by the South Korean 22nd Division and knocked on the guard post door. Receiving no response, he knocked again at another post about 30 meters away.

In June 2015, a North Korean soldier stayed overnight 500 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line. The next morning, he approached a South Korean guard and expressed his intention to defect. In February 2021, in the civilian control zone of Goseong County, Gangwon Province, a defection by swimming occurred. A North Korean man wore a wetsuit and flippers and used a coastal drainage channel to defect. He reportedly passed through the sea without much resistance and reached a national road near the civilian control line. South Korean soldiers guarding the fence were stressed by defectors. They were criticized for failing to detect crossings over the Military Demarcation Line. In particular, commanders were disciplined for failing in their surveillance duties.

Are Defectors Happy?

Gyunam smiles in the epilogue. He seems to have pioneered a new life as he dreamed. However, not all defectors' lives are like that. While feeling relief, many suffer various difficulties. According to "The History of Defection," written by Kim Seok-hyang, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University, based on in-depth interviews with many defectors, a significant number suffer guilt for escaping alone. Mothers who left their young children behind sometimes fall into depression and experience self-harm symptoms.

"Most defectors do not accurately know their emotional state, nor do they fully understand how to respond healthily to overcome such situations. Generally, they seemed to be preoccupied with just getting through each day. In reality, even when earning money, many live in constant financial strain, anxious about repaying brokers who helped them defect or sending remittances to family members remaining in North Korea and China."

The internal turmoil of being labeled a traitor or defector deepens psychological distress. Most do not recognize this as a serious problem and look for external causes of their suffering. Additionally, there are many challenges to overcome, such as relative deprivation, helplessness, and longing. Professor Kim emphasizes that efforts should prioritize recording their entire life stories rather than focusing solely on the moment of defection. She argues that sharing such records is the key to integrating their experiences into the community's history.