Yoon Emphasizes 'Unification Assets'... But Half of Government Agencies Have Zero Defectors

Yoon: "Defectors with North-South Experience Are Valuable Unification Assets"
Half of 49 Central Agencies Have No Defector Personnel
Key to North's Reconstruction After Unification... Capacity Must Be Strengthened

"The experience of North Korean defectors who have lived in both South and North Korea is an invaluable asset for unification." (President Yoon Suk-yeol, July 14th, 1st North Korean Defectors' Day Commemorative Speech)

It has been revealed that half of government agencies have no personnel of North Korean defector origin at all. Since President Yoon Suk-yeol has declared that the government will expand the hiring of North Korean defectors to prepare for unification, there are calls to strengthen the administrative capabilities of defectors who will play a pivotal role in rebuilding the northern regions after unification.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a commemorative speech at the 1st Day of North Korean Defectors Ceremony held at the Blue House State Guesthouse in July. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Unification to Kim Geon, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the People Power Party, among the 49 central administrative agencies in the South Korean government excluding the National Intelligence Service, 25 agencies currently employ public officials or administrative support personnel of North Korean defector origin. The remaining 24 agencies, including the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Prosecutors' Office, and National Fire Agency, have no employees of defector origin even when including administrative support staff.

Among the 25 central administrative agencies employing defectors, there are 38 public officials (30 regular officials and 8 fixed-term officials) and 48 administrative support personnel (46 indefinite-term contract workers and 2 fixed-term workers), totaling 86 employees. The Ministry of Unification, which has the highest number of defectors, employs 22 people (18 public officials and 4 administrative support personnel). The rest generally have three or fewer public officials, and agencies like the National Police Agency have only hired 1 to 2 administrative support personnel.

The situation is not much different in local governments. Across metropolitan and basic local governments nationwide, there are 75 public officials of defector origin (28 regular officials and 47 fixed-term officials) and 33 administrative support personnel (32 indefinite-term contract workers and 1 fixed-term worker), totaling only 108 employees. The metropolitan local government with the most defectors employed is Gyeonggi Province, with a total of 54 employees (37 public officials and 17 administrative support personnel). This cannot simply be attributed to the size of the local government, as Seoul has only 8 employees (4 public officials and 4 administrative support personnel). Jeju Province is the only region with no employees of defector origin.

At the first North Korean Defectors' Day ceremony on July 14th, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated, "We will actively support the 'capacity building' of North Korean defectors," and pledged, "The government, local governments, and public institutions will take the lead in expanding the hiring of defectors."

The hiring of administrative personnel of defector origin is meaningful more from the perspective of 'nurturing' rather than 'special privilege.' Since they are well acquainted with the internal situation of North Korea and have experienced both South and North Korea, they are expected to play a key role in rebuilding northern regions after unification. When the private sector hires defectors, it goes beyond the concept of 'job creation' with tax credits and incentives, serving as a way to accumulate capabilities in preparation for unification.

A government official said, "There is a need to establish active nurturing and hiring plans for defectors to ensure substantive preparation for unification and to secure diversity and openness in the public service."