The Defectors
EU and South Korean leaders pledge co-operation to address North Korea
North Korean defectors often flee north, into China, but the journey can be treacherous and the border heavily militarized. "The guards were ordered to shoot anything that moves, whether it’s animal or human" says one defector, who crossed the freezing Yalu River into China with her child on her back. The Defectors is a South Korean TV show that interviews North Korean defectors and airs their opinions about the regime. The aim of the show is to "tell countless people in North Korea that they are living in a fake society, a giant Truman show" says the show’s host. But despite the appearance of prosperity projected by South Korean television shows, life can be hard for defectors. Standing out for their accent and clothes, they find it hard to assimilate, and the loneliness can be hard to bear. "I don’t have anyone in this world now" says one defector. Some defectors have little to no contact with South Korean society, and suicide rates are high.
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