83 Unclaimed Deaths Over 10 Years... Concentrated in the Last 3 Years
Facing Difficulties Settling in Korean Society After Defecting Alone
Although they crossed the border alone to escape North Korea, an increasing number of North Korean defectors are dying alone, suffering from financial hardships and other difficulties.
According to data submitted on the 27th by the Ministry of Unification and the North Korean Refugees Foundation (Hana Foundation) to Han Jeong-ae, a member of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, there have been 83 cases of unclaimed deaths among North Korean defectors in the past 10 years. In 2022, there were 19 cases; in 2023, 13 cases; and up to August 2024, 14 cases, with 46 cases (55.4%) concentrated in the last three years.
Looking at the age distribution of unclaimed deaths among North Korean defectors, 17 were in their 30s, 15 in their 40s, and 16 in their 50s, indicating that deaths are occurring during the prime economic activity years. According to the Ministry of Unification’s analysis of unclaimed deaths starting in 2022, causes of death were primarily illness (78.3%), suicide (13.0%), and accidents (8.7%).
The problem is that local governments conduct funerals for unclaimed deceased individuals, but if the responsible officials are unaware that the deceased was a North Korean defector who died alone, these cases are not included in the statistics. Therefore, it is estimated that the actual number of North Korean defectors who died unclaimed is higher than the recorded figures.
A significant number of North Korean defectors escape alone without family or relatives. The increase in unclaimed deaths is analyzed as a result of failing to properly settle in South Korea and suffering from economic difficulties. This is also reflected in the data. According to the "2023 Survey on North Korean Defectors," the unemployment rate among defectors is 4.5%, about twice the overall unemployment rate. The average annual income is 36.13 million KRW, which is only half of the overall average of 67.62 million KRW.
Assemblywoman Han Jeong-ae stated, "Looking at the figures such as unclaimed deaths, the effectiveness of policies is questionable," and added, "A continuous monitoring system should be established for North Korean defectors in welfare blind spots, and support for economic independence must be provided."
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