Monument for North Korean defectors who died during escape unveiled by Unification Ministry

The Unification Ministry on Thursday unveiled a monument near the inter-Korean border to commemorate North Korean defectors who lost their lives during escapes from the repressive regime.

A monument to commemorate North Korean defectors who lost their lives trying to escape the regime is unveiled at a ceremony in Paju, Gyeonggi, near the inter-Korean border on Thursday. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho, Peaceful Unification Advisory Council Secretary-General Tae Yong-ho and some 60 defectors attended the ceremony. [YONHAP]

The Unification Ministry unveiled a monument near the inter-Korean border Thursday to commemorate North Korean defectors who lost their lives while escaping the repressive regime.

The monument was set up at the Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi, a border city just south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, the ministry said in a release.

The government has designated July 14 as the official day for North Korean defectors, commemorating the enactment of the law on protecting North Korean defectors and supporting their settlement, which came into effect on this date in 1997.

The ministry held a ceremony to unveil the monument, bringing together Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho; Tae Yong-ho, secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council; and around 60 North Korean defectors.

The monument bears the inscription, “To commemorate the 'yearning' and 'courage' of North Korean defectors for freedom, and to honor those who sacrificed their lives during their defection journey.”

In a speech, Minister Kim emphasized the significance of the establishment of North Korean defectors' day and the monument, expressing his commitment to spreading their courage.

“The government will offer comprehensive protection and set up a systemic support program for the stable settlement of North Korean defectors in a bid to respond to the courage shown by those who risked their lives to flee North Korea,” Kim said.

The ministry said it will spur efforts to establish similar monuments around the world. To this end, the government has registered the design of the monument with copyrighted public records so that people can easily use it.

South Korea has a longstanding policy of accepting any North Korean defectors who wish to live in the country. Currently, South Korea is home to more than 34,000 North Korean defectors. The flow continues amid chronic food shortages and harsh political oppression in North Korea.

In the first half of the year, the number of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea reached 105, slightly up from the 99 who arrived the previous year.

Yonhap