North Korean Defectors

[Anchor Lead]

North Korean escapees have become part of South Korean society. However, there have been calls for tighter monitoring as several defectors have decided to return to the North recently. Most defectors, for their part, say they just want to live ordinary lives like everyone else.

[Pkg]

Park Chol-soo came to South Korea almost 11 years ago. But he says he still feels like he's being monitored around the clock.

[Soundbite] Park Chol-soo (Alias, Voice modified) (N. Korean Escapee) : "If I don't answer my phone, the police put a note on my door asking me to call them immediately. What will people think?"

Some 28,000 North Korean defectors in the country receive protective custody from police. Under the law only those who have received training at the Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees are eligible for five years of police protection. But in reality four times as many North Korean refugees are receiving it now. Those who want to extend their protective custody must receive approval from authorities, but no such instances have been reported so far.

[Soundbite] Park Keun-yong (People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy) : "Only those who return to the North must be investigated. Monitoring all escapees just because they may also decide to return to the North is not right."

However, some say that surveillance is inevitable, as several defectors have returned to the North recently.

[Soundbite] Ahn Chan-il (World Inst. for North Korea Studies) : "Without this kind of surveillance it would be difficult to comprehend their whereabouts and keep track of how many defectors live in the country."

Kim Ok-ran defected from the North 14 years ago. She has tried many difficult jobs to make a living.

[Soundbite] Kim Ok-ran (N. Korean Escapee) : "I collapsed once while working."

But no matter how hard she works, she is still ill-treated.

[Soundbite] Kim Ok-ran (N. Korean Escapee) : "It's very stressful and heartbreaking to see people insult me despite my hard work."

Kim's son left the country ten years ago because he was bullied at school. To North Korean escapees, contempt is even harder to endure than financial difficulties. Kim says her only wish is to live an ordinary life like everyone else.