In the first quarter of this year (January to March), 38 North Korean defectors were recorded as having entered the country.
A Unification Ministry official noted to reporters that the number of North Korean defectors entering this year in the first quarter was 38, consisting of 37 women and 1 Namsung.
The number of North Korean defectors entering in the first quarter of this year is less than last year's first quarter (43 people) but more than the first quarter of 2023 (34 people). The cumulative total of defectors increased to 34,352.
Among the entrants in the first quarter of this year, those in their 20s and 30s accounted for more than half, with around 20 people. The proportion of defectors in their 20s and 30s has consistently exceeded 50%, according to the Unification Ministry.
Most of the defectors entered the country after having left North Korea before the country's border closure due to COVID-19, staying in a third country before coming to South Korea. It is reported that they generally stayed abroad for more than five years.