Over 100 North Korean Defectors Entered in First Half of Year... 'Elite Defectors' Continue

62 Entered in Q2... Total 105 This Year
Estimated Around 10 Elite Defectors from North Korea

The number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea in the first half of this year has surpassed 100. Although significantly reduced during the COVID-19 period, a slow recovery is underway, and the number of entrants this year is expected to exceed last year's figures. The defection of elite groups such as North Korean diplomats is also steadily increasing.

An official from the Ministry of Unification told reporters on the 23rd that the number of North Korean defectors entering in the second quarter of this year was 62 (2 men and 60 women). As of the end of last month, 105 defectors (10 men and 95 women) had entered, and the total number of entrants was recorded at 34,183 (9,552 men and 24,631 women).

Ministry of Unification. Photo by Yongjun Cho jun21@

The number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea once reached nearly 3,000 annually but sharply declined after Kim Jong-un came to power. It then maintained a level in the thousands per year before plummeting to 229 in 2020, 63 in 2021, and 67 in 2022 due to the pandemic. Last year, 196 defectors entered, marking the beginning of a recovery trend.

Attention is also drawn to the trend of 'elite defectors,' such as Ri Il-gyu, the former political counselor at the North Korean embassy in Cuba, whose entry into South Korea was recently confirmed. About 10 elite defectors, including diplomats, high-ranking officials, and prominent students, entered last year, the largest number since 2017. It is reported that a similar scale has entered in just the first half of this year. The deepening economic difficulties during the COVID-19 period increased pressure on diplomats and trade workers to earn foreign currency, and burdens from strengthened sanctions against North Korea, along with news of high-ranking defectors' activities in South Korea, are considered motivating factors for defection.

An official from the Ministry of Unification said, "The current trend (of North Korean defectors entering South Korea) is similar to last year’s level, but there are some fluctuations each quarter," adding, "Since there are many variables affecting entry trends, the final number needs to be observed a bit longer."