FactSheet(Nov.18,2005)
Fact Sheet (Nov. 18, 2005)
Current Status of Settlement Support for Saetomin
I. Background
1. After the Korean War and until the late 1970s, South and North Korean relations were confrontational, competing against each other. During this period the South Korean government treated North Korean defectors coming to the South as national heroes for renouncing communism and choosing democracy and offered a large amount of compensations to them. It was the Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs, which was in charge of dealing with North Korean defectors.
2. The demise of the communist system in the early 1990s affected not only the atmosphere on the Korean peninsula but also the South Korean government's policy toward North Korean defectors. Moreover, the severe food crisis in North Korea and the ensuing large number of refugees coming into the South changed how South Koreans viewed the North Korean defectors. The defectors were no longer regarded as national heroes but as socially handicapped people or a special minority who needed to be taken care of on a long-term basis. Accordingly, the responsibilities for dealing with North Korean defectors were transferred to the Ministry of Health & Welfare.
3. The Korean government soon came to realize, however, that North Korean defectors were not socially handicapped on a permanent basis. Moreover, it believed that once the North Korean defectors overcame the systemic and cultural differences between the South and the North and became adjusted to the South Korean system with the help of the Korean government and the community, they had many good qualities to contribute to the South Korean economy and society. Thus, the Korean government decided to approach the North Korean defectors problem as part of its overall unification policy and enacted a law in 1997 for protecting and settling them in the Korean society. Under the new law, the Ministry of Unification was placed in charge of handling matters related to North Korean defectors.
- The settlement support program concentrated on promoting their independence and self-sufficiency. Accordingly, the government introduced social adaptation education and job training programs. The government also recognized their academic achievements and licenses obtained in the North.
- The settlement support program became further strengthened with the amendment of the protection and settlement law. Aside from the financial assistance to cover minimum living expenses for initial settlement, the settlement support program added financial incentives for job training, greater educational opportunities, job protection, national pension benefits, living expenses, etc.
- In 2004 the settlement support program added the following: broader access to rental apartments, improved education, introducing settlement Doumi (volunteer workers) system, etc.
II. Current Status of Entry and Residence in Korea
1. From the end of the Korean War in July 1953 until September 2005, a total of 6,871 Saetomins have entered South Korea and of the total number, 294 people either emigrated to third countries or passed away. As a result, there are 6,577 Saetomins actually residing in South Korea (as of June 2005).
- Saetomin is an alternative to the legal term Talbukja for North Korean dislocated people . Because of the negative connotation associated with the term Talbukja, the Ministry of Unification created a new term Saetomin, implying literally new settlers, based on the results of a public survey conducted in 2004. Hence, North Korean refugees residing in the South are referred to as both Saetomin and Talbukja.
- Most Saetomins enter South Korea via third countries, mainly from China, Mongolia, and Southeast Asia.
2. Between 1995 and 1998 an annual average of 64 Saetomins entered South Korea. Starting from 1999 there has been a dramatic increase in the number of Saetomins - with an annual average of 829 people - entering the South. In 2004 alone, 1,894 Saetomins entered South Korea.
- The dramatic increase of Saetomins entering the South could be attributed to a combination of factors; but one of the biggest causes from the mid-1990s was the severe food crisis in North Korea. Many dislocated people who escaped from North Korea for third countries were left with very little choice but to come to South Korea because their illegal residence status in third countries made it impossible for them to stay there under the threat of refoulement.
3. The proportion of female Saetomins entering the South stood at mere 7.6% before 1995. However, their number started to increase dramatically reaching 66.8% in 2004, surpassing the proportion of male dislocated people entering the South.
- Female dislocated people have had it much easier than their male counterparts to hide and find temporary jobs such as in restaurants in third countries of temporary residence. They are, therefore, less likely than men to be discovered and repatriated to North Korea.
A. Entry of Saetomins in South Korea
|
Year
|
# of people
|
|
~'89
|
607
|
|
'90-'96
|
183
|
|
'97
|
86
|
|
'98
|
71
|
|
'99
|
148
|
|
'00
|
312
|
|
'01
|
583
|
|
'02
|
1,139
|
|
'03
|
1,281
|
|
'04
|
1,894
|
|
'05.9
|
567
|
|
Total
|
6,871
|
|
Death/Emigration
|
294
|
|
Domestic Residence
|
6,577
|
(As of June 2005)
B. Gender
|
Gender
|
~'89
|
'90-
`96
|
`97
|
`98
|
`99
|
`00
|
`01
|
`02
|
`03
|
`04
|
'05.9
|
Total
|
|
Male
|
564
|
158
|
56
|
53
|
90
|
180
|
294
|
514
|
468
|
625
|
186
|
3,189
|
|
Female
|
43
|
25
|
30
|
18
|
58
|
132
|
289
|
625
|
813
|
1,269
|
381
|
3,682
|
(As of June 2005)
C. Occupation while residing in the North
|
Occupation
|
'00
|
'01
|
'02
|
'03
|
'04
|
'05.6
|
|
Administrators
|
18
|
22
|
32
|
32
|
37
|
4
|
|
Specialists
|
12
|
26
|
45
|
21
|
24
|
8
|
|
Arts&orts
|
9
|
16
|
18
|
13
|
15
|
12
|
|
Laborers
|
158
|
277
|
503
|
471
|
732
|
213
|
|
Volunteer Workers
|
26
|
43
|
72
|
52
|
46
|
9
|
|
Soldiers
|
3
|
7
|
11
|
8
|
11
|
7
|
|
Unemployed
|
86
|
192
|
458
|
684
|
1,029
|
314
|
|
Total
|
312
|
583
|
1,139
|
1,281
|
1,894
|
567
|
(As of June 2005)
III. Protection and Settlement Support : Process & Details of Support
The protection and settlement process for North Korean dislocated people can generally be divided into three stages of entry & investigation stage initial protection & support stage integration stage.
1. Entry & Investigation Stage
1) Dislocated people are accommodated at temporary protection centers run by overseas missions, related agencies, humanitarian NGOs, and religious organizations.
2) The ROK government carries out identity checks on the North Korean dislocated people and negotiates with the countries where they are staying on their residence there or entry into South Korea.
3) After their entry into South Korea, 5 relevant government agencies carry out a joint investigation to distinguish among the North Korean dislocated people, dislocated people in disguise, spies, Korean-Chinese, as well as to find out the details of their entry into South Korea, etc.
4) Once the investigation is complete, Saetomins are directed to Hanawon.
2. Initial Protection & Support Stage
1) Saetomins are directed to Hanawon where they are enrolled in a settlement support program for 3 months for social and cultural adjustment.
2) Education is geared toward helping them overcome cultural differences, providing them with emotional and psychological stability, providing counseling on their future career, promoting their understanding of South Korean society, etc.
3. Integration Stage (Post-Settlement Support)
After finishing the program at Hanawon, Saetomins, for a period of five years, are given various types of support so that they can become integrated into the local community. They are provided with settlement support including not only housing and minimum living expenses but also job opportunities, medical benefits, protection, information on the local residential area, etc. with the cooperation of the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Health & Welfare, and local governments.
1) Housing Arrangement
Saetomins are provided with public rental housing. Each household can live in an apartment unit so long as they are unable to overcome the minimum standard of living. The size of the apartment (36~66 square meters) varies depending on the number of family members.
- About 40% settle in the Seoul metropolitan area, and the rest in other areas.
2) Minimum Living Expenses for Initial Settlement
The South Korean government assists Saetomins financially in the early stage of settlement. Initial living expenses are divided into basic, supplementary, and incentive assistance. Basic assistance is provided within the limit of 100 times the monthly minimum wage (approximately U$ 568), and it is provided based on the number of people in the family. Supplementary assistance is provided to the elderly and physically challenged within the limit of 50 times the monthly minimum wage.
One-third of the basic assistance is given out at the beginning, and the rest of the assistance is given out in installments over a period of 2 years.
Incentive assistance is given to each Saetomin who manages to become independent through job training and subsequent employment. It is given within the limit of 50 times the monthly minimum wage.
- For more detailed information on the basic, supplementary, and incentive assistance, please refer to the attached three charts.
3) Other Support Services
a. Employment Opportunities
The Korean government has been making efforts to provide job training and employment opportunities for Saetomins. The government has established an employment assistance office and designated employment promotion officers in order to help Saetomins find jobs.
Starting from the year 2000, the Korean government began providing financial subsidies to employers who hire Saetomins. The government provides subsidies to employers for two years in the amount of half the wages paid to the Saetomins. This assistance has proven effective in facilitating stable employment. The government spent a total of US$3.9 million since the financial subsidy program began in 2000.
- Job training program was introduced in 2001, and financial subsidy program began in 2003 under the Ministry of Labor.
b. Educational Opportunities
First of all, Saetomins under the age of 25 are required to attend public middle and high schools, and those under the age of 35 can attend public universities for free since the Korean government gives full assistance for tuition payments. In case of private universities, the government covers half the tuition amount. Because of their very different educational background from that of students educated in South Korea, universities admit a certain number of Saetomins under their individual special admissions program. The government also recognizes academic achievements and licenses obtained in North Korea, contributing to strengthening the basis for Saetomins' independence.
c. Medical Services
Once they leave Hanawon and enter the South Korean society, Saetomins are designated to be eligible for medical benefits and exempted from basic medical fees depending on their income and personal assets. For the physically handicapped and those with no means of income, the government classifies them as welfare recipients.
4. Local Government & Private Support Organizations
Local municipalities have designated officials in an effort to strengthen settlement support activities as well as to protect and support Saetomins residing in their jurisdictions. These officials will provide administrative support and consultations to help refugees integrate better into the local society.
Aside from the government, various private social and religious organizations are providing specialized support. Starting from 2001, so-called Local Support Groups for Saetomins, consisting of local governments and private groups, have been active in over 10 regions. Groups' activities include counseling on day-to-day affairs, employment opportunities, and connecting the refugees with other support groups to facilitate their adjustment into society.
A legal entity called the Support Association for North Korean Dislocated People was created to act as a mediator between the government and private groups. The Association, which receives funding from the government as well as private donations, also serves as the center around which the Local Support Groups for Saetomins and other nongovernmental activities get organized. The Association's activities include social adjustment programs, providing information on the local society and adjustment support, arranging job training, increasing job opportunities, and offering various social welfare services of the general welfare office.
Recently, the Korean government also introduced a Doumi support system or a group of volunteer assistants from private organizations. They help Saetomins get settled by providing information about the local community, offering guidance and counseling on day-to-day affairs, and connecting them with welfare offices.
Criteria for Basic Assistance
(Unit: U$)
|
# of Family
Members
|
Initial
Assistance
|
Assistance in
Installments
(2 years)
|
Housing
Assistance
|
Total
|
|
1
|
3,000
|
7,000
|
10,000
|
20,000
|
|
2
|
4,000
|
10,000
|
15,000
|
29,000
|
|
3
|
5,000
|
13,000
|
15,000
|
33,000
|
|
4
|
6,000
|
16,000
|
15,000
|
37,000
|
|
5
|
7,000
|
19,000
|
15,000
|
41,000
|
|
6
|
7,000
|
22,000
|
15,000
|
44,000
|
|
Above 7
|
7,000
|
25,000
|
15,000
|
47,000
|
Criteria for Supplementary Assistance
|
Classification
|
Criteria for Assistance
|
Amount of Assistance
(Unit: U$)
|
|
Age
|
Above 60 years of age
|
7,200
|
|
Physically Handicapped
|
Level of Handicap
|
15,400 (level 1)
10,800 (levels 2~3)
3,600 (levels 4~5)
|
|
Long-term Medical
Treatment
|
For those staying in the hospital for more than 3 months due to serious illness
|
Month(s) 800
|
|
Child support for children living in one-parent households
(for children under the age of 12)
|
Children with one-parent or children with no parents living with grandparents or grandparent
|
3,600
|
Criteria for Incentive Assistance
(Unit: U$)
|
Classification
|
Criteria for Assistance
|
Assistance Amount
|
Comments
|
|
Job Training
|
Less than 5 months
|
-
|
No payment
|
|
6~12 months
|
Month(s) 20
|
|
|
1-year program, vocational college, completing programs for priority occupations
|
2,000
|
Additional
Payment
|
|
Licenses
|
Programs longer than 6 months, vocational college, priority occupations
|
2,000
|
|
|
Employment
|
One year
|
2,000
|
|
|
Two years
|
3,000
|
|
|
Three years
|
4,000
|
|
|
Total (Maximum) U$15,400
|
