The holiday was established in 2024 by South Korean presidentYoon Suk Yeol to commemorate the twenty-seventh anniversary of the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act, which had been enacted in 1997.[1][2] There are over 34,000 defectors from North Korea living in South Korea,[3][4] and the holiday was intended to be representative of Yoon's policies surrounding Korean reunification.[1] Yoon stated that Korean unification was dependent on human rights advancements in North Korea, and that North Koreans should be able to successfully integrate into South Korean society.[1]
North Korean defectors often face difficulty integrating into South Korean culture due to factors such as culture shock and hostility from South Koreans towards defectors.[3][5]North Korean defectors in South Korea face more than double the national rate of unemployment.[3] The establishment of North Korean Defectors' Day was seen as an opportunity to create a more welcoming environment for North Koreans in the South,[1] although some analysts have criticized the initiative, as it could unintentionally create the opposite effect by reminding North Koreans that they are considered "outsiders" by society.[2]
The first North Korean Defectors' Day festival was held in Seoul on July 14, 2024, and was attended mostly by North Korean defectors, although some South Koreans attended as well.[3][6] The festival included performances of North Korean music, as well as displays of North Korean items brought to South Korea by defectors.[3][6] Defector entrepreneurs also sold goods such as liquor, clothing, North Korean snacks, and dog treats.[6] Panel discussions by defectors were held, as was an exhibition illustrating life in North Korea.[5]
