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Viewing cable 06SEOUL4283, NK REFUGEES: OBSTACLES TO INTEGRATION IN THE SOUTH
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| Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06SEOUL4283 | 2006-12-15 09:05 | 2011-08-25 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Seoul |
VZCZCXRO6048
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHVK
DE RUEHUL #4283/01 3490905
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 150905Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1939
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7728
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1751
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 6420
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 1430
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 2033
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1850
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 8663
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 2425
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0278
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 3243
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0067
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 1260
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0082
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3052
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0025
RUDKIA/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0911
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1175
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J2 SEOUL KOR
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 SEOUL 004283
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PHUM PGOV PREL KTIP KS KN
SUBJECT: NK REFUGEES: OBSTACLES TO INTEGRATION IN THE SOUTH
REF: SEOUL 4131
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: North Korean refugees face an enormous
culture shock in adjusting to life in the ROK. Not
accustomed to South Korean political and economic systems and
unable to compete educationally, North Koreans face
difficulties obtaining stable employment. Their resettlement
is not helped by indifferent -- and often hostile -- South
Korean attitudes. Our interlocutors emphasized that while
there was societal discrimination, discrimination was not
practiced by the government. END SUMMARY.
WELFARE MENTALITY, FINANCIAL WOES IMPEDE INTEGRATION
--------------------------------------------- -------
¶2. (SBU) A study by North Korea Database center found that
North Koreans identify several major reasons for difficulties
in adjustment: 22 percent cited loneliness, 23 percent
identified economic difficulties, 20 percent cited health
problems, and 16 percent pointed to their lower social status
and lack of work in the ROK.
¶3. (SBU) The Director of a welfare center that assists North
Korean refugees said that the difference between the North
and South Korean systems presents the biggest challenge for
North Korean refugees in the ROK. Because North Koreans are
used to the government or the party providing all
necessities, they have a difficult time adjusting to a system
where they are expected to provide for themselves, according
to NK Net President Han Ki-hong. Heo Man-ho, Director of
Research for Citizens' Alliance and Kyungpook National
University Professor, explained that North Koreans are used
to a system in which they do not have to work very hard, and
that most North Koreans do not make the effort necessary to
catch-up with their South Korean peers. NK Net's Han also
noted that many North Korean refugees misunderstand the ROK's
democratic, capitalist system, and tend to evade their
responsibilities while asking for more entitlements.
¶4. (SBU) Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, head of the NGO Good
Friends, noted that most North Koreans are not used to
dealing with money, and do not have the monetary sense
necessary in a capitalist society. When refugees have money
they tend to spend it, and have difficulties saving. Many
refugees also use their funds to pay brokers to bring their
relatives out of North Korea, according to many NGO leaders.
A North Korean refugee who arrived in the ROK in 2003
described being surprised at the material nature of the ROK,
and said that many North Koreans do not have a good sense of
how to handle their money with such an abundance of goods
available.
LACK OF MARKETABLE SKILLS AND EDUCATION
---------------------------------------
¶5. (SBU) One NGO practitioner said that many North Koreans
are crushed upon realizing their lack of access to desirable
jobs in the ROK. One North Korean refugee, who is a student
at a Korean university, said that many North Koreans arrive
with unrealistically high expectations of life in the ROK.
After some time in the ROK, he said, they become deeply
disappointed when they see how hard they have to work to earn
money. Many foreign workers may face the same sort of
disappointment, he said, but they have another home to return
to, whereas North Koreans do not. He lamented that, while
life in North Korea was very hard, life in the ROK may be
"mentally harder." He reported that he persuaded his older
brother to remain in North Korea, telling him of his
difficult life in the South.
SEOUL 00004283 002 OF 006
¶6. (SBU) North Korean refugees face large educational gaps
compared to their South Korean peers, due to differences
between the educational systems in North and South Korea and
to often prolonged stays in third countries (reftel).
Experts identify this issue as one the most difficult
barriers that North Koreans must overcome in the resettlement
process.
¶7. (SBU) Divergence in the Korean language used in North and
South Korea also make education and employment difficult for
the refugees. Gwak Jong-moon, Principal of the Hankyoreh
Middle and High School, told us that North Koreans
misunderstand as much as 30 percent of language in the ROK.
Kim Young-ja, Secretary-General of Citizens Alliance,
explained that the language gap was due to the use of
foreign-derived words, especially English words, by South
Koreans. In addition, 70 percent of the vocabulary, and most
of the professional words, in South Korea consist of Chinese
characters, which are alien to North Koreans because the DPRK
encourages the use of "pure" Korean words. Differences in
the provincial dialects also contribute to difficulties in
communication between South and North Koreans.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA
--------------------
¶8. (SBU) North Koreans have often faced life or death
situations during the traumatic process of defection, and
many refugees show signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) and other psychological disorders. Kim Eun-kyoung, a
psychological counselor at Hanawon, reported that because of
their experiences, many refugees are hypersensitive and
distrustful. Kim said that all North Koreans receive
psychological evaluations at Hanawon, and 20 to 30 percent
are identified as needing special attention, typically for
depression, personality disorders, emotional disorders, or
PTSD. North Korean refugees are provided with psychological
counseling while at Hanawon, but upon graduation most
refugees want to focus on immediate life issues, Kim said.
Kim noted that many North Koreans also face "life issues,"
including concerns about family members in other countries
and about securing a stable life in the ROK, which are
difficult to separate from psychological issues.
¶9. (SBU) Many practitioners who work with North Korean
refugees described other psychological issues that make North
Koreans' successful adaptation difficult. NK Net President
Han Ki-hong said that North Koreans are often very paranoid,
typically from the constant fear in which many North Koreans
lived in third countries. Citizens' Alliance President
Benjamin Yoon noted that, in order to survive in North Korea
and in third countries, North Koreans often have to be
manipulative and opportunistic, and are often unable to shed
such habits upon arrival in the ROK. Hanawon career
counselor Jeon Yeon-suk noted that many women feel guilty
about leaving their families behind. Pomnyun said that many
North Korean refugees are unable to build a constructive
vision for their life due to their anger and mistrust, and
often respond violently to problems. Kim Eun-kyoung and
other practitioners lament that mental health services for
North Koreans are limited once they leave Hanawon.
LEGAL CHALLENGES
----------------
¶10. (SBU) In a recent report for the U.S. Committee on Human
Rights in North Korea (USCHRNK), Kookmin University Professor
Andrei Lankov estimated that the crime rate among North
Koreans in the ROK is twice the national average. MOU
reports that statistics on crimes by North Koreans are
SEOUL 00004283 003 OF 006
difficult to track because they are not categorized
separately. NK Database President Yoon Yeo-sang noted that
many North Koreans commit crimes to survive in North Korea
and in third countries, making them susceptible to criminal
problems in the ROK. NK Net's Han also said that difficulty
controlling emotions and problems between defectors has
resulted in criminal incidents. Kim Il-joo, President of the
Association of Supporters for Defecting North Korean
Residents, said that some North Koreans become repeat
offenders, unable to break the cycle of crime.
¶11. (SBU) Supporters Association President Kim Il-joo told
poloff that North Koreans have also been victims of fraud, in
particular when involved in joint business or investment
projects with South Koreans. Some North Koreans opt to start
their own businesses, he said, because of difficulties in
obtaining stable employment. Because of their lack of
knowledge of the business environment, they can be vulnerable
to fraud.
¶12. (SBU) North Koreans may also face legal issues in the
ROK, primarily because they are unaware of how the legal
system operates and because the ROK does not recognize the
DPRK. Kim Young-ja, Secretary-General of Citizens' Alliance,
said that many North Koreans are unaware of basic legal
procedures. The Association of Supporters for Defecting
North Korean Residents and the Korean Bar Association provide
specialized legal services to North Koreans.
¶13. (SBU) Supporters Association President Kim Il-joo said
that some North Koreans face difficulties if they were
married in North Korea and want to get divorced and remarried
in the ROK. Because the ROK does not recognize the DPRK,
terminating a North Korean marriage is complicated under
South Korean law. According to the Korea Legal Aid Center
for Family Relations, North Koreans have filed approximately
200 divorce cases in the ROK since July 2003, but divorce was
granted in only one case due to debate on whether the ROK
courts have jurisdiction over cases where the spouse was
still in the DPRK. An amended version of the 1997 Protection
Act is currently pending before the National Assembly that
includes measures to make it easier for North Koreans to have
divorces recognized.
A CHILLY RECEPTION FROM THEIR SOUTH KOREAN BRETHREN
--------------------------------------------- ------
¶14. (SBU) In addition to these challenges, North Korean
refugees find that South Koreans often do not provide them
with a warm reception. Yu Joon-ha, Director of MOFAT's
Inter-Korean Policy Division, reported that South Koreans'
attitudes toward North Koreans have changed over time.
During the 1990s, North Korean refugees were seen as "freedom
fighters" in the ROK, but as the number of North Koreans in
the ROK has increased, South Korean attitudes have become
less positive. This change was in part due to South Koreans'
realization that not all North Korean refugees are "good
people;" many South Koreans' patience is also wearing thin.
¶15. (SBU) Members of the NGO community provided similar
assessments of South Koreans' attitudes toward North Koreans.
Asia Foundation Program Officer Moon Chun-sang said that
most South Koreans do not care about the issue of North
Korean refugees, as their population is still small. Moon
said that, in a homogenous society like the ROK, it is
difficult to tell how much of South Koreans' attitudes is
general xenophobia and how much is specific to North Koreans.
Most South Koreans have never encountered a North Korean
refugee. Pomnyun assessed that North Koreans are often seen
as second-class citizens by South Koreans because of their
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difficulties in integrating, and suspicions that they bring
"bad habits" from North Korea. NK Net President Han Ki-hong
also said that the South Korean public tends to look down
upon North Koreans, while noting that many practitioners who
work with refugees become frustrated by the perceived
unwillingness of some North Koreans to adapt. Park
Byoung-soo, Deputy Director of the ROK National Human Rights
Commission's (NHRC) Human Rights Policy Team, reported that
some South Koreans think the ROKG provides too much
assistance to North Korean refugees, and argue that they
should be given no more assistance than other South Korean
recipients of public welfare. One NGO practitioner noted
that many South Koreans do not understand the North Korean
system or what North Koreans went through, and therefore do
not understand the difficulties that North Koreans face in
adjusting to life in the ROK when, from the outside, they
look like other South Koreans.
¶16. (SBU) Refugees report mixed experiences with South
Koreans. One young male North Korean refugee related that
many South Koreans do treat North Koreans differently, but
thought this was understandable because North Koreans have
had different experiences and often have a difficult time
relating to South Koreans. An older female refugee similarly
reported that people tend to recognize that she is different,
believing that she is North Korean or Korean-Chinese, but are
helpful when they learn that she is North Korean. Another
young male refugee, however, felt alienated in the ROK, and
said that South Koreans should be patient with North Korean
refugees and treat them as family. Andrei Lankov reported
that many refugees share his feelings, which may be linked to
difficulty in adapting to the ROK's individualistic culture.
¶17. (SBU) This male refugee was also frustrated with the
ROK's emphasis on social networks, particularly school-based
networks, in obtaining jobs. In the recent USCHRNK report,
Lankov reported that many North Koreans are frustrated by the
ROK's system of informal connections (hakyon, or alumni
connections, and chiyon, or regional connections), which by
their nature exclude outsiders but are important to obtaining
employment.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES
--------------------------------------------
¶18. (SBU) NGO leaders acknowledged that, beyond negative
attitudes, some North Korean refugees claim to have faced
discrimination in the ROK. Asia Foundation's Moon said that
identifying discrimination against North Korean refugees is
difficult because North Korean refugees have a heightened
sensitivity to their surroundings and tend to see events
through a negative lens. Similarly, KINU's Lee Keum-soon
argued that because many North Koreans have unrealistically
high expectations when they come to the ROK, they often
ascribe any difficulties they experience to discrimination
because they are North Korean. Lee and other experts agree
that many of these challenges are similar to those faced by
most immigrant groups in a new country. Citizens' Alliance's
Yoon, who has overseen programs for North Korean refugees for
over seven years, argued that many North Korean refugees'
claims of discrimination are exaggerated. Chang Chin-yung,
an employment officer with the Ministry of Labor, said that,
because of psychological or emotional problems, many North
Korean refugees may feel discriminated against even if it is
not real.
¶19. (SBU) NHRC Human Rights Policy Director Shim Sang-don
said that the ROK has sought to address past problems with
its resettlement programs. As outlined in septel, NHRC's
Park reported that the ROK has changed its protection officer
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system because, in the past, some North Koreans felt the
protection was surveillance. According to MOU information,
welfare assistance officers working with North Korea receive
anti-discrimination training (66 percent had received such
training as of June 2006) and Doeumis are required to undergo
training by their sponsoring organization. Andrei Lankov
argued that the ROKG tolerates refugees' political
activities, but thought the ROKG should support those
activities with funding, which it does not presently do in
significant amounts. Progressive groups in the ROK, Lankov
said, have harassed some conservative refugee organizations,
but he knew of no instances in which the ROK government
itself interfered with North Koreans' rights to free
expression.
¶20. (SBU) Under Korean law, it is illegal to discriminate
against someone based on national origin and other relevant
categories. North Korean refugees have several options if
they believe they are facing discrimination, including those
available to all ROK citizens and additional services
specifically for North Koreans. According to KINU's Lee
Keum-soon, North Korean refugees can file complaints through
the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Labor
(for job discrimination), the Korean Bar Association (which
has a special section to assist North Korean refugees), or
the Association of Supporters for Defecting North Korean
Residents.
¶21. (SBU) NHRC's Shim said that the Commission, which handles
human rights claims against the government, currently has
eight cases from North Korean refugees, most of which involve
political issues challenging the ROK's policy on North Korean
human rights and China's policy on North Korean refugees.
According to Shim, the only case that alleges discrimination
by the ROKG involves a North Korean who defected with Hwang
Jang-yop, former third-ranking official in the DPRK. Shim
said this individual was a "special case," and the NHRC's
case asks for the person to be granted the same type of
passport issued to other ROK citizens. NHRC's Park
Byoung-soo said that North Koreans in the ROK are normally
able to obtain passports after living in the ROK for six
months and to travel freely. Shim was not aware of other
cases were North Koreans had difficulties obtaining
passports, but said that the ROK has to consider that
refugees may commit passport fraud to try to bring their
families to the ROK.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
----------------
¶22. (SBU) Many of the ROK's programs for North Korean
refugees, including those provided by or funded by the
government and those run by civil society organizations,
include education on human rights issues. KINU's Lee said
that North Koreans are educated on their rights in the ROK at
Hanawon. Pak Yong-sok, Director of Hanawon's Education
Planning Team, said that Hanawon's curriculum currently
includes 37 hours of education on human rights, democracy,
market economy, and the rights and obligations of democratic
citizens. These programs also include contact information if
refugees need legal assistance, steps to take if their rights
are violated, and discussions with other resettled North
Koreans. Hankyoreh School Principal Gwak Jong-moon said that
many North Koreans do not have a concept of what human rights
are, and the NHRC conducts programs at the school to inform
students of their rights.
¶23. (SBU) The ROK also has started programs aimed at
improving South Koreans' attitudes toward resettled North
Korean refugees. Hanawon's new exchange programs, where
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North Koreans at Hanawon stay with South Korean families for
a short time, not only give North Koreans experience in South
Korean communities, but also expose South Koreans to their
North Korean peers, Pak said. The Hanbit social welfare
center, with funding from the ROKG, recently started its own
exchange program, aimed at increasing understanding for both
North and South Koreans, but it has been hard to maintain
participation on both sides, according to Hanbit.
FOLLOWING THE AMERICAN DREAM
----------------------------
¶24. (SBU) Citizens' Alliance's Kim said that a large number
of North Koreans who are dissatisfied with their lives in the
ROK believe that the U.S. may offer greater economic
opportunities. Numerous NGOs and refugees told poloff of a
rumor in the refugee community that the U.S. would provide
USD 100,000 in resettlement assistance to North Koreans from
the ROK who receive asylum in the U.S. Disappointed that
their expectations in the ROK were not fulfilled, some North
Koreans decide to follow the American dream and seek ways,
legal and illegal, to move to the U.S. Practitioners who
work with North Koreans in the ROK dismissed as groundless
North Koreans' claims of persecution in the ROK. NHRC's Park
said he did not object to the granting of asylum if there
were persecution, but questioned the existence of legitimate
grounds for asylum.
COMMENT
-------
¶25. (SBU) Life is difficult for North Korean refugees in the
ROK, and many will be unable to fulfill their dreams of
wealth in the ROK. Our interlocutors agreed that North
Koreans may face societal discrimination in the ROK, but
none described discrimination by the government or systematic
persecution. While experts criticized aspects of the ROK's
program, such criticisms focused on issues that one might
expect of any government welfare program, not on the ROK's
treatment of North Korean refugees. While issues may exist
for certain cases of high-level defectors, such as the
passport issue described by the NHRC, we have seen no
evidence that such issues extend beyond a handful of
individuals in the ROK. END COMMENT.
VERSHBOW