The Challenges Faced by North Korean Defectors, and the Effectiveness of Ngos in Aiding Their Plight
The Challenges Faced by North Korean Defectors, and the Effectiveness of NGOs in Aiding their Plight
Sociology 250: Gabrielle Bishop
Instructor: Jerry Hinbest
North Korean refugees face a number of obstacles both prior to and after making the escape from a regime that has literally starved them from food, facts, and freedom. From the day they are born, North Koreans are effectively brainwashed by their government into believing that they live in a workers’ paradise, and that in comparison the outside world is a hopeless place. Most go onto believe this whole-heartedly, as outside ows of information (which could potentially expose their government) are essentially non-existent. However, in the wake of extreme food shortages, many citizens have decided to defect from the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of North Korea (DPRK). The majority of which intend to make the journey north through China, to Southeast Asia, and nally reach South Korea, where they can be granted refugee status and be given nancial support from the South Korean government. Some opt to remain in China, where they accept to live as illegal aliens (Kim, H. K., & Lee, O. J. (2009). A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of North Korean Refugees. Nursing Science Quarterly, 22(1), 85-88) as the journey to South Korea can be long and expensive. Even if they are successful in completing the journey from North Korea to China, Southeast Asia, South Korea, or elsewhere, studies show that North Korean defectors are at a high risk of experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Jeon, W., Hong, C., Lee, C., Kim, D. K., Han, M., & Min, S. (2005). Correlation Between Traumatic Events and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among North Korean Defectors in South Korea. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18 (2), 147-154; Chung, S., & Seo, J. (2007). A Study on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among North Korean Defectors and their Social Adjustment in South Korea. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 12, 365-382). However,
Sociology 250: Gabrielle Bishop
Instructor: Jerry Hinbest
North Korean refugees face a number of obstacles both prior to and after making the escape from a regime that has literally starved them from food, facts, and freedom. From the day they are born, North Koreans are effectively brainwashed by their government into believing that they live in a workers’ paradise, and that in comparison the outside world is a hopeless place. Most go onto believe this whole-heartedly, as outside ows of information (which could potentially expose their government) are essentially non-existent. However, in the wake of extreme food shortages, many citizens have decided to defect from the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of North Korea (DPRK). The majority of which intend to make the journey north through China, to Southeast Asia, and nally reach South Korea, where they can be granted refugee status and be given nancial support from the South Korean government. Some opt to remain in China, where they accept to live as illegal aliens (Kim, H. K., & Lee, O. J. (2009). A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of North Korean Refugees. Nursing Science Quarterly, 22(1), 85-88) as the journey to South Korea can be long and expensive. Even if they are successful in completing the journey from North Korea to China, Southeast Asia, South Korea, or elsewhere, studies show that North Korean defectors are at a high risk of experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Jeon, W., Hong, C., Lee, C., Kim, D. K., Han, M., & Min, S. (2005). Correlation Between Traumatic Events and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among North Korean Defectors in South Korea. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18 (2), 147-154; Chung, S., & Seo, J. (2007). A Study on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among North Korean Defectors and their Social Adjustment in South Korea. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 12, 365-382). However,
References: Chung, S., & Seo, J. (2007) A Study on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among North Korean Defectors and their Social Adjustment in South Korea. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 12, 365-382 Clippinger, M. E. (1981). Kim Chong-il in the North Korean Mass Media: A Study of Semi-Esoteric Communication. Asian Survey, 21(3), 289-309. Jeon, W., Hong, C., Lee, C., Kim, D. K., Han, M., & Min, S. (2005). Correlation Between Traumatic Events and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among North Korean Defectors in South Korea. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(2), 147-154; Kim, H. K., & Lee, O. J. (2009). A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of North Korean Refugees. Nursing Science Quarterly, 22(1), 85-88 Kim, J. (2010). A Study of the Roles of NGOs for North Korean Refugees ' Human Rights. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 8.1, 76-90 Lee, D. (2010). Portrayals of Non-North Koreans in North Korean Textbooks and the Formation of National Identity . Asian Studies Reivew, 34, 349-369. Robinson, W. C., Lee, M. K., Hill, K., Hsu, E., & Burnham, G. (2001). Demographic Methods to Assess Food Insecurity: a North Korean Case Study. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 16(4), 286-291. Yu, S., Jeon, W., Cho, Y., & Eom, J. (2008). Traumatic Experiences and Mental Health of North Korean Refugees in South Korea. Psychiatry Invest, 5, 213-220. 8