Women's Struggles from the North1)
As the number of North Korean defectors continues to rise, there is increasing focus on the human rights of North Korean women. On July 11, the "2024 North Korean Human Rights Seoul Forum" held at Seoul City Hall spotlighted the rights issues faced by female defectors, with particular emphasis on human trafficking and forced labor, and called for effective solutions. Many North Korean women who flee to China due to economic hardship end up working in factories, where they are vulnerable to be arrested by Chinese authorities. Those sold into marriage with Chinese men face even more severe challenges. Even if these women manage to escape abuse, they often find themselves recaptured by the brokers who sold them. Moreover, even after marrying a Chinese man, they struggle with barriers such as being unable to register their marriage or obtain a household registration, hukou, which limits their freedom and ability to participate in society. It seems that an active interest in North Korean women and appropriate work-family support programs are needed to address the factors that hinder their employment and participation in economic activities.
To solve the human rights issue that North Korean women are experiencing, South Korea has implemented various support systems and policies for them. As part of this, the Mirae Korean Peninsula Women's Association, which was established to protect the human rights of North Korean migrants and help them find jobs and receive welfare benefits, provides education and counseling through the "Hope Financial Counseling Support Project" to aid the underprivileged. However, one North Korean woman in her 50s who participated in the consultation, said, "Just giving a lot of counseling doesn't help us settle in South Korea. I came to South Korea and was diagnosed with severe retardation, so I couldn't find a job. It's hard to live with my college son with just a little money a month." In other words, although the government provides support and medical benefits for North Korean female defectors, there is a lack of economical and societal assistance for women who have difficulty resettling in South Korea. Therefore, it seems additional attention and strategies tailored to the specific challenges of women defectors are needed to better protect and support their rights.
1) Noh Kyung-min, "South Korean Independence Harder Than Defection... 'It's Hell to Live' Laments", JoongAngIlbo, July 24, 2024
