North Korean Defectors
From 1998 to 2024, a cumulative 34,314 North Korean defectors entered South Korea, of whom 72.2% are women.
34,314
Cumulative (1998–2024)
72.2%
Female share
1998–2024
Coverage
Source: MOJ immigration yearbooks, MOU, MOIS
North Korean defectors receive South Korean citizenship but need a distinct settlement-support system. KIRD shows annual entry trends from Ministry of Unification statistics, placed alongside other migrant groups so they can be compared within the full picture of migration to Korea.