181 North Korean defectors have arrived in the South this year

The number of North Korean defectors coming to South Korea in the first nine months of this year reached 181, marking an increase from the same period last year, a Unification Ministry official said Tuesday

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. [NEWS1]

The number of North Korean defectors coming to South Korea in the first nine months of this year reached 181, marking an increase from the same period last year, a Unification Ministry official said Tuesday

Of the total, 76 — 12 men and 64 women — arrived in the South in the July-September period, bringing the total number of North Korean defectors to 34,259, the official said on the condition of anonymity.

"(The number of defectors in the third quarter) is slightly higher compared to the same period last year and the second quarter of this year. However, given the quarterly fluctuations and various factors, we need to closely monitor the total number of arrivals for this year," the official added.

The number of North Korean defectors coming to the South has been on the upswing after sharply dwindling in recent years due largely to Pyongyang's strict border lockdowns to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yonhap