List of North Korean defectors in South Korea
Encyclopedia
This is a list of North Korean defectors in South Korea. North Korean defectors
typically received a great deal of media attention in the past; however, as their numbers increase, this is becoming less common. Furthermore, the vast majority of defectors from North Korea are unable to proceed to the South; they instead end up settling illegally, typically in northeast China
or the Russian Far East
.
The month, day, and year, when known, refer to when the defector(s) arrived in South Korea. This list can never be exhaustive so long as the threat exists of retaliation by the North Korean government against "traitors" to the regime. Many defectors do not reveal their true identity and give interviews using a pseudonym
.
North Korean defectors
A number of individuals have defected from North Korea. Since the division of Korea after World War II and the end of the Korean War , many people have defected from North Korea, mainly for political, ideological, religious and economic reasons...
typically received a great deal of media attention in the past; however, as their numbers increase, this is becoming less common. Furthermore, the vast majority of defectors from North Korea are unable to proceed to the South; they instead end up settling illegally, typically in northeast China
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
or the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
.
The month, day, and year, when known, refer to when the defector(s) arrived in South Korea. This list can never be exhaustive so long as the threat exists of retaliation by the North Korean government against "traitors" to the regime. Many defectors do not reveal their true identity and give interviews using a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
.
1950s
- 1953
- 21 September - Air forceNorth Korean Air ForceThe Korean People's Army Air Force, , is the name of the unified aviation forces of North Korea. The KPAF is the second-largest branch of the Korean People's Army with an estimated 110,000 personnel. It possesses between 1,600 and 1,700 aircraft of different types, mostly of Soviet and Chinese...
senior lieutenant No Kum-SokNo Kum-SokNo Kum-Sok is a former lieutenant of the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War who defected to South Korea...
(age 21) flew his MiG-15 to the South. Since this fighter plane was then the best the Communist bloc had, No's defection was considered an intelligence bonanza, and he was awarded the then exorbitant sum of $100,000 and the right to reside in the United States.
- 21 September - Air force
- 1955
- 21 June - the air force officers and friends Lee Un-yong and Lee Eun-seong flew a Yak-18 across the border and landed at the then-major airport on YeouidoYeouidoYeouido is a large island in the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. It is Seoul's main business and investment banking district. Its 8.4 square kilometers are home to some 30,988 people. The island is located in the Yeongdeungpo-gu district of Seoul, and largely corresponds to the precinct of...
in Seoul.
- 21 June - the air force officers and friends Lee Un-yong and Lee Eun-seong flew a Yak-18 across the border and landed at the then-major airport on Yeouido
1960s
- 1960
- Chong Nak-hyok – air force lieutenant flew his MiG-15 to the South.
- 1968
- Kim Shin-JoKim Shin-JoKim Shin-Jo is the sole survivor of a 31 person team of North Korean commandos sent to assassinate the then president of South Korea, Park Chung Hee, in the 'Blue House Raid' in January 1968. After the failed attempt he was interrogated for a year by the South Korean authorities before being released...
– on 21 January, one of a 31-person team sent to the South to assassinate then-President Park Chung Hee. This led to retaliation in what is known as the Silmido incidentSilmidoSilmido is an uninhabited island in the Yellow Sea, off the west coast of South Korea. It has an area of about .25 km². It lies within the borders of Incheon metropolitan city, and is about 5 kilometers southwest of Incheon International Airport...
. After his life was spared, he has become a missionary and has written books on how he found inner peace in Christianity.
- Kim Shin-Jo
1970s
- 1970
- Pak Sun-kuk – air force major was ordered to return a recently repaired MiG-15 from a repair workshop to WonsanWonsanWŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
, Gangwon ProvinceGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
. He used this opportunity to fly it to the South, crash-landing in Gangwon Province, South Korea.
- Pak Sun-kuk – air force major was ordered to return a recently repaired MiG-15 from a repair workshop to Wonsan
1980s
- 1982
- Ri Han-yongRi Han-yongYi Han-yong, birth name Ri Il-nam , was a North Korean defector. His mother Song Hye-rang's younger sister Song Hye-rim was a mistress of Kim Jong-il; Ri's mother raised Kim Jong-il's and Hye-rim's son Kim Jong-nam alongside Ri and Ri's sister Nam-ok at a secluded villa outside of Pyongyang in...
– nephew of Kim Jong-ilKim Jong-ilKim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
; shot to death in 1997 in Gyeonggi-doGyeonggi-doGyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
by unknown assailants widely suspected to be North Korean agents, in what was variously speculated to be an attempt to silence him after his publication of a tell-all book about Kim Jong-il's private life, revenge for his mother Song Hye-rangSong Hye-rangSong Hye-rang is a North Korean defector and author. Her father was a wealthy South Korean landowner who moved to the north for political reasons, while her mother was an editor of the official North Korean newspaper Rodong Shinmun...
's defection a year earlier, or a warning to fellow defector Hwang Jang-yopHwang Jang-yopHwang Jang-yop was a major politician in North Korea who defected to South Korea in 1997, making him to date the highest-ranking defector from the isolated state. He was largely responsible for crafting the Juche Idea, North Korea's official state ideology.-Early life and career:Hwang was born in...
.
- Ri Han-yong
- 1983
- Lee Ung-pyong – air force captain in the North Korea air force, used a training exercise to defect and landed his MiG-19 at a South Korean airfield. According to the then common practice, he received a commission in the South Korean ArmyRepublic of Korea ArmyThe Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
, eventually becoming a colonel. He received a reward of ₩WonWon or WON may refer to:*The Korean won from 1902–1910:**South Korean won, the currency of the Republic of Korea**North Korean won, the currency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea* Won , the Korean form of Yuan...
1.2 billion.
- Lee Ung-pyong – air force captain in the North Korea air force, used a training exercise to defect and landed his MiG-19 at a South Korean airfield. According to the then common practice, he received a commission in the South Korean Army
- 1987
- Kang Chol-hwanKang Chol-HwanKang Chol-Hwan is a defector from North Korea. As a child he was imprisoned in the Yodok concentration camp for 10 years; after his release he fled the country, first to China and eventually to South Korea...
– imprisoned with his family at age 10 for his grandfather's alleged political crime. He and a friend fled across the Yalu river into China when he found out he was being investigated for listening to South Korean radio broadcasts.
- Kang Chol-hwan
1990s
- 1994
- Jang Gil-suJang Gil-suJang Gil-su is a North Korean defector who fled North Korea in 1999 at age 15. He became famous in South Korea following publication there and in the U.S...
– North Korean movie directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
who defected to the South and has become a successful director there. - Kim Hyung-dok – September – successfully arrived in Seoul after two years trying to secure passage to the South. Two years later, he was arrested trying to flee back to the North.
- Jang Gil-su
- 1995
- Lee Soon OkLee Soon OkLee Soon Ok is a former political prisoner and defector from North Korea. She resides in South Korea.-Imprisonment:For six years, Lee was imprisoned in Kaechon concentration camp where she has reported witnessing forced abortions, infanticide, several instances of rape, public executions, testing...
– December – high-ranking partyWorkers' Party of KoreaThe Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling Communist party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. It is also called the Korean Workers' Party...
member from northern province defected with son to the South via China and Hong Kong after suffering seven years in a political prisoner camp at KaechonKaechonKaech'ŏn is a city in South Pyongan Province, North Korea. Kaechon's coordinates are .-Geography:The Myohyangsan, Changansan, Ch'ŏnsŏngsan, and Ch'ŏngryongsan mountain ranges come together in Kaechon. The highest peak is Paekt'apsan. The most important rivers are the Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River and the...
. She has since written her memoirs, Eyes of the Tailless Animals, and testified before the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and the United Nations. - Choi Ju-hwal – a former North Korean colonel and chief of the joint venture section of Yung-Seong Trading Company under the Ministry of the People's Army.
- Lee Soon Ok
- 1996
- Lee Chul-su – 23 May – air force captain Lee Chul-su defected to South Korea by flying across the border in an aging MiG-19 fighter. He was awarded ₩480 million (the equivalent of $560,000 then).
- 31 May – scientist Chung Kab-ryol and writer Chang Hae-song arrived at Seoul's Kimpo AirportGimpo International AirportGimpo International Airport , commonly known as Gimpo Airport , is located in the far western end of Seoul and was the main international airport for Seoul and South Korea before it was replaced by Incheon International Airport in 2001...
from Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
- 1997
- Hwang Jang-yopHwang Jang-yopHwang Jang-yop was a major politician in North Korea who defected to South Korea in 1997, making him to date the highest-ranking defector from the isolated state. He was largely responsible for crafting the Juche Idea, North Korea's official state ideology.-Early life and career:Hwang was born in...
– 12 February – former secretary of the North Korean Workers PartyWorkers' Party of KoreaThe Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling Communist party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , commonly known as North Korea. It is also called the Korean Workers' Party...
and his aide Kim Dok-hong come to the Consular Section of the Republic of Korea Embassy in Beijing seeking political asylum. They arrived in Seoul on 20 April after staying in the South Korean Consulate in Beijing for 34 days and in the Philippines for 33 days. Hwang is the highest ranking North Korean official to defect. - Kim Kil-son – August 1997 – worked in a publications department of North Korea’s Number 2 Research Center prior to defection.
- Kim Song Gun – fearing death from starvation, left his home in the northern city of ChongjinChongjinCh'ŏngjin is the capital of North Korea's North Hamgyŏng Province and the country's third largest city. From 1960 to 1967 and again from 1977 to 1985, Ch'ŏngjin was administered separately from North Hamgyŏng as a Directly Governed City...
, North Hamgyeong Province. - Kim Kun Il – left the North after his father died from hunger.
- Hwang Jang-yop
- 1998
- 31 – 33 December year-old factory worker who had been living in hiding since leaving the North in August 1996 arrived in Seoul seeking asylum.
- 1999
- Jang Gil-suJang Gil-suJang Gil-su is a North Korean defector who fled North Korea in 1999 at age 15. He became famous in South Korea following publication there and in the U.S...
– fled North Korea at age 15, and became famous in South Korea following publication there and in the U.S. media of his chilling crayon drawings, which depict horrific abuses by North Korean authorities against North Korean civilians. - Pak Do-ik – former writer of propaganda and theater scripts praising the North's regime. He crossed the Tumen River into China where he encountered South Korean intelligence agents, who were interested in Pak's knowledge of the regime's hierarchy. After they interrogated him for months, they helped him defect to the South.
- Suh Jae-seok – defected to South Korea by crossing the Tumen River with his 2-year-old son carried in a backpack. Once married to another defector, Park Kyeong-shim, in South Korea. On 27 April 2006, Suh was granted refugee status in the United States after claiming that he and his son suffered from brutal discrimination in South Korea, an accusation that the Seoul government vehemently denied.
- Jang Gil-su
2000s
- 2002
- 31 July – A North Korean, identified as Kim, sailed into South Korean waters in a 0.3 ton wood fishing boat off GanghwaGanghwaGanghwa may refer to:* Ganghwa County, administrative region of South Korea* Ganghwa Island, island in South Korea...
Island on the west coast and expressed his wish to defect. - October – Kyong Won-haKyong WonhaKyong Wonha is a nuclear scientist who may have participated in developing the North Korean nuclear program.In North Korea, Kyong was a student at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang. During the Korean War, he fled to South Korea, and eventually emigrated to Brazil and then Canada...
– father of North Korea's nuclear program, defected to the West, taking with him many of the secrets of the atomic program pioneered since 1984. He was one of 20 scientists and military officers who were smuggled out of North Korea during the alleged Operation WeaselOperation WeaselOperation Weasel is the name given to an alleged secret operation involving the governments of Nauru, New Zealand and the United States. The exact nature of the operation, if it did indeed exist, is subject to disagreement — most accounts link it to investigations into the sale of Nauruan...
. - Son Jong-hun – arrived in South Korea in 2002. His older brother, Son Jong-namSon Jong-namSon Jong-nam was a North Korean defector and Christian missionary, who died in a Pyongyang prison after being arrested in 2006.-Early life:Son was born in Chongjin, North Hamgyong...
, was arrested in North Korea in January 2006; according to fellow inmates, he died in custody in December 2008.
- 31 July – A North Korean, identified as Kim, sailed into South Korean waters in a 0.3 ton wood fishing boat off Ganghwa
- 2003
- 26 December – Kim Cheol-woong, a classically trained musician, who now teaches piano in South Korea.
- 2004
- 7 May – A family of four North Koreans arrived in South Korea from China via a third country after successful negotiations between the governments of South Korea and China following their arrest after trying to enter the South Korean consulate in QingdaoQingdao' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, China on 19 April. - 27 July – 230 North Korean refugees airlifted from Vietnam arrived at Sanguine (SeongnamSeongnamSeongnam is the second largest city in South Korea's Gyeonggi province after Suwon and the 9th largest city in the country, with a population of nearly 1 million...
) military airport aboard a chartered Asiana AirlinesAsiana AirlinesAsiana Airlines Inc. is one of South Korea's two major airlines, along with Korean Air. Asiana has its headquarters in Asiana Town in Osoe-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul...
flight. - 28 July – 220 more North Korean refugees arrive at Incheon International AirportIncheon International AirportIncheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area, and one of the largest and busiest airports in the world...
from Vietnam, bringing 450 total defectors, or the largest single group of defectors from North Korea, to South Korea.
- 7 May – A family of four North Koreans arrived in South Korea from China via a third country after successful negotiations between the governments of South Korea and China following their arrest after trying to enter the South Korean consulate in Qingdao
- 2005
- 17 June –
- Lee Yong-su – soldier in an artillery battalion of the North Korean armyNorth Korea Ground ForceThe Korean People's Army Ground Force is the army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.-History:The force was formed in the late 1940s and it outnumbered and outgunned the South Korean Army on the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950...
in P'yŏnggangPyonggangPyonggang is a kun, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea. It borders Sepo to the north, Chorwon to the south, Ichon to the west, and Changdo to the east.-Physical features:...
county. Cut barbed-wire fences in the 2.5-mile-wide demilitarized zoneKorean Demilitarized ZoneThe Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
. - Two fishermen (one male and one female) crossed the border in the Yellow SeaYellow SeaThe Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
aboard their small motorless vessel.
- Lee Yong-su – soldier in an artillery battalion of the North Korean army
- 26 June – Hong family – father (42 y.o.), wife (39), and their son crossed the border in the Yellow Sea.
- 17 June –
- 2010
- 1 December - Won ton-Ling defected from North Korea
Defectors not yet sorted
- Lee Chong-guk, used to be a cook at Chongryu-gwan, the most famous of all Pyongyang restaurants, has established his own restaurant chain in the South.
- Sin Yong-hui, dancer in the Mansudae troupe (the North Korean equivalent of the Bolshoi TheatreBolshoi TheatreThe Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
), became a moderately successful actress. - Yo Man-chol, a former captain in the Ministry of Public Safety (the North Korean police), opened a small restaurant in Seoul.
- Chang Hae-song, a former North Korean playwright and journalist, who once specialized in radio dramas about the sufferings of the South Korean people, nowadays works in the Institute of Unification Policy and writes about North Korea. His daughter also attracted some attention when she posted an exceptional score in the South Korean version of the scholastic aptitude test.
- Park Young Ae – runs a restaurant in the South.