'I Hated Being Asked Where I'm From': Ex-North Korean Diplomat Tells Seoul Lawmakers
A former North Korean diplomat has spoken out about the discrimination she faced after defecting to South Korea, saying she was often asked where she was from and treated differently because of her accent.
Jo Myong-ae, who served as a diplomat in North Korea's embassy in London, defected to the South in 2016. She said that she was initially shocked by the way she was treated in the South, which she had always seen as a land of freedom and democracy.
"I hated being asked where I'm from," Jo said. "It was like I was being judged and labeled before I even had a chance to introduce myself."
Jo said that she was often the target of discrimination, both overt and subtle. She said that she was passed over for promotions at work, and that she was sometimes treated differently by her colleagues.
Jo's experience is not unique. Many North Korean defectors report facing discrimination in South Korea. A 2019 survey by the Korea Institute for National Unification found that 70% of North Korean defectors had experienced discrimination in the South.
The discrimination that North Korean defectors face is a serious problem. It can make it difficult for them to integrate into South Korean society and to build a new life for themselves.
How to Help North Korean Defectors
- Educate yourself about the challenges that North Korean defectors face.
- Be welcoming and inclusive towards North Korean defectors.
- Support organizations that work to help North Korean defectors.
Learn More
- Discrimination against North Korean defectors in South Korea remains high, survey finds
- Behind Closed Doors: Discrimination Against North Korean Defectors in South Korea
- South Korea: Discrimination against North Korean defectors must end
