- Identification Process for Vulnerable North Korean Defectors
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There is an urgent need to identify high-risk and vulnerable North Korean defectors and to help them engage, directly or indirectly, with organizations where they can open their hearts. Such efforts are essential to overcoming loneliness and isolation and to supporting their integration as members of South Korean society.
Although statistics suggest that North Korean defectors are gradually stabilizing their resettlement in South Korea, in reality, many vulnerable cases remain. Alarmingly, the number of defectors dying alone has been increasing, largely due to difficulties in adapting to new environments and compounded by economic hardship.
To address this, it is vital to reach out to these vulnerable defectors, maintain close contact, and provide consistent care and support so they may achieve a stable and dignified resettlement.
- Process for Supporting Vulnerable North Korean Defectors
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- Eye Care Support
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In partnership with Central Jeil Eye Clinic in Paju, Gyeonggi Province (Director: Dr. Lim Dong-gwon), NKHR provides free ophthalmic treatment for North Korean defectors.
Youth Defectors: Vision correction procedures (LASIK/LASEK)
Middle-aged & Older Defectors: Cataract treatment and other eye disease care
👉 North Korean defectors who wish to receive ophthalmic care may contact the NKHR office at +82-2-723-1672 for support.
- Support for Integration into a Free Society
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NKHR provides a variety of programs to support North Korean defectors in their stable resettlement into South Korean society. These include basic civic education on democracy, freedom, and the market economy, as well as classes on the use of smart devices and art therapy sessions.
For vulnerable defectors in particular, NKHR organizes workshops such as industrial site visits, historical tours, hands-on activities, and trips to places they have long wished to see. Through these shared experiences and conversations, participants build bonds of trust, creating a supportive environment for stable integration into society.
Art Therapy Activities
Digital Skills Training
Civic Education for Democratic Citizenship
Pottery Workshop Experience