1. NK student beats stereotype
This article shows a story of the first NK defector who got accepted into a science high school in South Korea. The children of North Korean defectors are often associated with stories of how hard it is to adjust to an alien environment, but he has made a dent in this stereotype.
2. Young North Korean Defectors Struggle in the South
This article shows a story of the NK defector who has been in difficulties in adapting into the university of South Korea. Despite measures for them such as affirmative action, free tuition and counseling program, NK defector has been struggling in the South.
3. Journey to Defection
To better understand North Korean defectors it is important to understand the risks they undertook and the harsh journeys they had to bear to make the cross over to South Korea. The following article tells the story of 9 North Korean children defectors who had made the journey to Laos only to be sent back to the North. Graphic illustrations reveal the reality behind defection from the North, adding vivid color to our understanding of North Korean defectors.
I had a feeling that Korean government is very irresponsible to dealing with North Korean defectors. Even though there must be a sort of diplomatic problems if they strongly insist taking North Korean defectors to South Korea, they should be more involved to that problem as those North Koreans are at real danger. In addition, the affirmative action such as letting them entering top university in Korea is not appropriate as what North Korean defector needs are basic education, psychological treatment and letting know the pop culture of South Korea. Therefore I believe the government should be more involved regarding the problems of North Korean defeors.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read the article #2 ‘Young North Korean Defectors Struggle in the South’, it came up with my mind that our government’s responds for North Korean students are not appropriate. I think, just giving them a title of prestigious school as compensation is a temporary expedient. According to this article, North Korean defectors are sent to special remedial elementary and high schools after arriving. I think, besides that, we should give them a chance to study more with South Korean high school students with the same curriculum. And then, we also should give them chances to take a scholastic ability test. With a test result, North Korean defectors would be able to enter a school that is appropriate for them. In that school, they would not fall behind and get motivated to study along.
ReplyDeleteI realized that it is generally difficult for north Korean defectors to adjust in South Korea society because of both the economic and the psychological circumstances. And for the latter problem, it is not only because of the cultural differences/gap between the North and South Korea but also because of the traumatic experiences they personally have during the journey from the North Korea to the South Korea through the China or Russia. Because of the traumatic experiences, they are lack of proper education required to adjust to the university in South Korea just as normal South Korean university students have. So I think the most important thing needed to be provided for them is 're-socialization' which will indirectly lead them to get the job adequate for them to become economically stable. I think it is too bad for the North Korean defector in the ariticle 3 are trying to transfer to another university for the 3rd time, and am worried whether the 3rd transfer from Yonsei to Gungook university will be successful unless there are special re-socializing program in that university different from other 2 universities.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the third article, I felt very sorrowful about the North Korean defectors... because it's very obvious that they are not welcomed from South Korea. It must be very hard for them to adjust their lives in South Korea society, being treated as uninvited, unwelcome aliens. There are few successful cases of the first story (from the first article), but I think it's very uncommon and that's why the story was published as a news article. The South Korea is still closed only to the North Koreans, while opening more and more doors for foreigners mostly from the western society. But why should we act like that? They are the sons and grandsons of our grandfathers' or grand-grandfathers'. We should be careful not to get in to rage toward them - instead of the Kim's despotic kingdom. We shouldn't forget them as the victims of autocratic North Korea regime. Before I read the articles in this blog, I was actually just full of curiosity expecting to hear stories of real North Korea, but after dealing with the materials you guys provide, my heart is full of rage and sadness instead of mere curiosity.
ReplyDeleteI think three articles show the difficulties that NKD have. I was surprised by seeing first article's NKD who goes to science school. As mentioned in the article, I heard that NK's education focused on 'indoctrination' so it will be really difficult for NKD to adjust in SK's competitive education environment. But, he made it, and he finally makes his works to the science school. It was such an touching story. And, the Kim Kyeong ill's story in second article makes me rethink about my communication between my university friend. I thought it was 'far away' story from my surroundings but it might be my story because NKD might be in our university too.(actually, all the subcultures I learn in this class first thought of as 'far away' from my life, but articles tell me that it might be close to me.) Also, the sentence that he told '“I felt like someone from the 1970s who was put on a time machine and dropped in the 21st century' shows the NKD's difficulties when they tries to adjust in SK's university. SK's 20 adjust well cause their society has been changing over and over again since they had born, But, NK society has never been changing. So, I his expression 'living in 70's' shows the difficulties well. And, last article was really heart breaking. I think this issue should be solved in an early hour for that poor child in NK.
ReplyDelete(My comments disappeared ㅠㅠㅠㅠ)
ReplyDeleteWhen I initially read the first research article, I was shocked by the stories, especially by the story told on the TED video, because it was so realistic and the process of escaping scared me. It made me feel very sorry for them and also helped me think about what could be done for the defectors, like groups that help the defectors escape by giving shelters and food. I also thought that additional economical help could be given by donation and thought that these help could easily make their lives better.
But after reading this second research article, I realized that it was not so easy. I was surprised that the government could be so harsh to turn their back on defectors; after so many laws trying to protect them I was also surprised that the defectors get privileges to go to schools like Korea University and Yonsei University and surprised again that many drop out. Maybe what the defectors need is more care and love than just laws that "try" to help them.
It was helpful for me because you uploaded two opposite side of situation. Actually, I had an experience that I served to as a teacher for defectors in the 'special remedial school', so I agree with article #2. Most of them were 20s and I taught them math. However, they couldn't catch even level of middle school students. The person in charge of that school also said that it is somewhat easy because of the affirmative action, but most of them have a hard time in the university. I think it is because of the differences between North Korea and South Korean of course, but more to the point is that they do not have enough time to concentrate only on study although there were a lot of subsidies. A lot of students in the center that I served also worked as part time workers after the school, so they were so busy. And also, I was curious about young people who came in Korea when they were young ages like 8 or 10 in those articles because I think they can have enough time to adapt in Korea like other general Koreans.
ReplyDeleteIt is really heartbreaking to hear that the North Korean defectors are not easily adapting to South Korea, especially in academic achievements. I felt that the lack of information about what North Korean defectors had to go through made some universities provide not enough support for the defectors. What they had gone through could not be just cured and forgotten with financial support. Financial support would help, but it is not the only help they need. What they need foremost would be psychological counseling and some time so that they could adjust themselves in Korea. What they had learned and experienced in North Korea would be totally different from what they have to learn and experience in South Korea. The government should put more effort in trying to understand the defectors' positions.
ReplyDeleteAll your articles were interesting, but especially the second article ‘Young North Korean Defectors Struggle in the South’ was interesting. I’ve met a lot of North Korean Defectors in SNU, but never have I once thought about the difficulties they might be facing in college, because compared to the competitive high school environment in Korea, college was not that competitive when it came to getting good grades. One thing that I realized while reading this article is that the affirmative action that we’re taking right now isn’t sufficient enough to help North Korean defectors. The high drop out rate just shocked me, and made me think seriously about ways that can actually help reduce this rate.
ReplyDeleteI'm HyeJin!
DeleteThe article about a NK student going to a science school was very surprising to me. When I was in middle school I thought students going to the science school.have to have a proper tutoring and education. I never thought of studying by myself and going to a science school. But the student in the article went to Hansung school without education other than school. From this student I believed people can do what ever they want if they have the passion.
ReplyDelete