Credit: Public domain.
According to the annual survey by Korea Hana Foundation 남북하나재단, 81.2% of North Korean defectors living in South Korea said they were satisfied with their lives, the highest satisfaction rating reported since the survey began in 2021. Respondents rated “living free” as their leading source of satisfaction, with 41.5%, while “separation from family” was the most common reason for dissatisfaction, with 24.3%.
Among North Korean defectors, 61.3% were employed - 2.5% less than the average among the general population - with average monthly wages of KRW 2.6m (USD 1.76k) KRW 591k (USD 400) less than the general average. The employment rate and wage gaps between North Korean defectors and the general population have shrunk over the years.
