Resettlement Challenges

SKILL-SET CHALLENGES

North Koreans come from a society that is significantly behind the economic, technological, and social progress of South Korea. North Koreans we work with have often said that coming to South Korea was like stepping out of a time machine into a version of Korean society in the future. This is understandable because in many ways North Korean society resembles South Korean society in the 1960s.

South Korea has gone through massive economic development, the effects of embracing globalization, and democratization over the last several decades, while the North Korean people have been held back from these changes by the regime. Therefore, many North Koreans arrive in South Korea lacking skills that are important for success in a modern, open economy.

COMPUTER LITERACY

Working knowledge of computers is needed for study and many jobs in South Korea, but most North Koreans have never even touched a computer.

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

It’s uncommon for North Korean refugees to have studied much English in North Korea. In contrast, English-language skills are necessary for many academic courses and professions in South Korea. South Koreans also frequently use loan-words from English, which can be unfamiliar and frustrating to North Koreans.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Many vocational skills that North Koreans have when they escape don’t match South Korean standards, so it’s often necessary to retrain and recertify before working in South Korea. For example, a doctor would need to requalify in South Korea in order to practice medicine after resettling.

GENERAL LIFE CHALLENGES

Aspects of modern society that we take for granted—like using an ATM, shopping in a supermarket, and riding public transit—can be difficult for North Koreans to adjust to shortly after resettling.

COMMUNICATION/CULTURAL NORMS

North Korean culture has different standards for communication and social interaction. For instance, North Koreans are often direct in their language which can sound aggressive to South Koreans, and North Koreans are more relaxed about timeliness than South Koreans. This can cause misunderstandings for North Koreans and make it difficult to integrate.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES

Due to the hardships of their pasts and their experiences in South Korean society, many North Koreans face psychological issues like loneliness and anxiety resulting from family separation, depression, identity issues, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These psychological challenges are confounded by a lack of awareness and underdeveloped mental healthcare in South Korean society.

Physical ailments are also common due to malnutrition, lack of access to basic necessities and health services, physically arduous labor, and other hardships in North Korea.

SOCIAL CHALLENGES

There are 28,000 resettled North Koreans living among 50 million South Koreans. Naturally, most South Koreans have never met someone from North Korea before.

Decades of confrontation, suspicion of things related to North Korea, and politicization following the Korean War contribute to an initial wariness for South Koreans meeting someone from North Korea for the first time. Because of this, defectors often mask where they are from to avoid the negative association by adapting their accent to sound more South Korean.

Even if the response is positive, resettled refugees often still find themselves being defined by the label of “talbukja” (person who has escaped the North) and becoming the subject of curiosity and insensitive questions (for instance “How did you escape?”, “Did you see public executions?”, “Is everyone starving?”, “What about your family?”, “Are you married?”). Being defined by a certain label is tiresome at best, and limiting and alienating at worst.

In general, resettled North Koreans need more understanding, acceptance as individuals, community and support networks, and empowerment.

RESETTLEMENT CHALLENGES & SUCCESS IN CONTEXT

If we view the post-resettlement experiences of North Korean refugees in the context of their challenges, we can see that not only do many of them show remarkable resilience and spirit in tackling these challenges, but they are also able to study and work (often at the same time), and find their feet in their new society. Not only that, many are able to send thousands of dollars back to their families in North Korea.

RESETTLEMENT CHALLENGES FOR U.S. BASED REFUGEES

In addition to facing many of the same challenges as their counterparts in South Korea, North Korean refugees who resettle in the U.S. also encounter the following:

Language Barriers

Understanding English is essential to navigating life in the U.S., and this presents a significant barrier to newly arriving North Korean refugees. The language barrier can make it harder to access public benefits and resources, engage with their communities, and access employment opportunities. The North Koreans we work with regularly request interpretation and translation services.

Discrimination

Resettled refugees are naturally drawn to Korean-American communities in the U.S. because of the familiarity with the language and culture. These communities tend to be the first to reach out to North Koreans, offering help and linking them to work and resources.

However, many North Koreans report being pitied, seen as inferior, and discriminated against, largely due to the history between North and South Korea and a lack of awareness about North Korea among the Korean-American community.

Education

Colleges and universities in the U.S. often do not recognize the education that refugees received in North Korea and if they do, documentation proving their educational history is generally required, which North Koreans are highly unlikely to have kept or received in the first place.

Additionally, it is difficult to translate the skills they learned in North Korea on formal applications and resumes. Therefore, more often than not, resettled refugees need to obtain a GED—a lengthy process that further prolongs their ability to attend college or university.

Transportation

Owning a car is essential for independence in many U.S. cities. Most refugees have modest financial and employment prospects upon arrival, so it can be difficult to afford even a used car, further limiting the mobility and opportunities available to resettled refugees.