Published by the Korean Institute for National Unification (KINU) Publisher President, Korean Institute for National Unification.
Introduction
The social conflicts and costs associated with inter-Korean institutional integration can only be minimized when the perception of North Korean residents can be reflected in the integration progress in a mutually interactive way. The author attempted to conduct an indirect survey of the perceptions of North Korean defectors due to the practical limitation of not being able to conduct a direct survey of North Korean residents. This study uses similar survey methods to examine North Korean defectors' perceptions of liberal democracy and market economy.
The defectors were then divided into three groups according to the year they entered South Korea (settlement period) in order to understand how the year of entry into South Korea affected the perception of North Korean defectors and its change in democracy and market economy.
North Korean Defectors’ Perception on Integration
Value of Necessity for Unification
When asked about their view of the situation after unification, only 12.7% of respondents agreed with the negative projection after unification (strongly agree: 2.0% + somewhat agree: 10.7%) and 59.8% of respondents did not agree with the prospect of a negative situation after unification. alignment (strongly disagree: 30.9% + somewhat disagree: 28.9%). 83.3% North Korean defectors agreed to the question "North Korean residents would have wanted unification if they had known how North Korean defectors live in South Korea" (strongly agree: 64.8% + somewhat agree: 18.5%).
Reason for Unification
Benefits and Costs of Unification
Method, Conditions, and Future Landscape of Unification
When asked what are the conditions for achieving unification, the top three answers were peaceful relations between the nations at 26.7%, economic development in North Korea at 25.0%, and democratization of North Korea at 24.7%. In other words, roughly 50% choose North Korea's change, including its economic development and democratization, and 15.7% choose South Korea's capacity building as a prerequisite for unification. Regarding the question of which system a unified Korea should adopt, 41.3% favored the South Korean system, 33.0% wanted the coexistence of the South Korean and North Korean systems, and 25.0% did not choose either the South Korean system nor North Korea, but a third system.
Sub-conclusion
Perception on Capitalist System and South Korea’s Inequality
Perception on Capitalist System
This research also analyzed the opinions of North Korean defectors about who should be held responsible for poverty and the restrictions on freedom of individuals. Third is a tower-type society with the very few rich at the top and the number of poor less than the one in the middle. Fifth is an inverted triangle type society with the large number of rich people and the very few poor due to dwindling population over time.
Society with the very few rich at the top, almost empty in the middle, and the vast number of poor at the bottom. Societies with the number of poor less than that in the middle and the very few rich. Society with the majority of people in the middle and the very few rich and poor.
Society with a large number of rich people at the top and much less poor people at the bottom due to decreasing population towards the end. The result showed that 62% of the defectors said that a column type A society is more like North Korean society, which is mainly composed of poor population with very few rich and middle class. And 19% of people answered that a pyramid type B society is similar to the society of North Korea with very few rich and poor population larger than the middle class.
These answers indicate that most of them consider North Korea as a society consisting of very few rich class and the majority of the poor population. When asked what kind of society a unified Korea would look like, the number one answer (44.7%) was that a unified Korea would look like a diamond-type society with the majority of the middle class and the very few poor and rich populations.
Perception on Inequality of South Korean Society
Embracing Democratic Institution for North Korean Defectors
Political socialization, which is built throughout an individual's life cycle, knowledge of politics and attitudes towards politics are factors known to influence the formation of a political party's identity. In this work, the characteristics of political knowledge and attitude towards politics are analyzed as factors that shape the political party identity of North Korean defectors.
Party Identification of North Korean Defectors
The question about the political inclination towards a certain party was addressed to 145 people who do not have a party identification. Of the 120 respondents who answered the question, a large number of them favored the Saenuri Party. Those who reported no particular political leaning were asked a more detailed question "also, which political party do you prefer even slightly more?" and 59 people (49.0%) said they preferred the Saenuri Party.
This figure is quite low considering the fact that approximately 80.0% of respondents with party identification support the Saenuri Party. What is interesting is that 16 people (13.0%) preferred other political parties, except the Justice Party. It can be interpreted that 16 respondents together with the other 25 people, who did not answer this question, did not prefer any major political party.
The question about the reason for support for a certain party was addressed to 154 respondents who have a party identification (except those who have an inclination towards a certain political party). More specifically, a question "what is the reason for your support for that party?" was asked and 79 people (52.0%) out of 153 said this because they support that party's policy. Meanwhile, 16 people (10.0%) support a certain party because of its leadership and 13 people (8.5%) said that their positive assessment of the politicians of a certain party has led to their support for that party.
On the other hand, as many as 32 defectors (21.0%) were analyzed who supported a certain political party for no particular reason.
North Korean Defectors’ Knowledge in Politics
80 people (27.0%) out of 300 respondents gave the correct answer to a legislator-related question measuring their knowledge in politics - what is the total number of members of parliament in South Korea. A question about the administrative branch consists of asking questions to heads of administrative branches and major ministries. When asked about the terms of the president, who is the chief who asks about the administrative branch, 154 people (52.0%) - more than half of a total of 300 - gave the correct answer.
Only a small number of people, 17.0%, answered "I don't know" to a question about the presidency. This figure is about 35.0% lower than the 52.0% of people who gave the same answer to the question about how MPs are selected. It has been analyzed to have attributed to the president's high visibility under the current presidential system.
These figures and the results of the presidential term survey question indicate that a significant number of leavers have a higher level of knowledge in the administrative branch. A fairly low percentage of people, 43 people (14.0%) out of all 298 respondents, said "I don't know" to a voting age question in South Korea - the lowest rate among the 6 knowledge questions in politics. In summary, leavers have a relatively higher degree of knowledge of the administrative branch and a relatively lower level of knowledge of the legislature compared to other government institutions and organizations.
In more detail, the majority of people answered “I don't know” to a question about the legislature. And the legislative questions have the lowest percentage of correct answers compared to other questions.
North Korean Policy Viewed by North Korean Defectors and
North Korean defectors' view of North Korean politics and their attitudes towards defector politics. Defectors mostly positively assessed the policy of settling North Korean defectors into South Korean society. The result shows that 170 people out of 291 - almost 60.0% - answered positively to the question "do you think the various aids currently available for settling into South Korean society are enough?" Specifically, 105 people (36.0%) said.
Participation in Politics of North Korean Defectors
Conclusion
Unit costs and benefits should also be carefully calculated based on the recipient-side subjects, such as the state (South Korean society), South Korean residents, and North Korean residents. North Korean defectors and South Korean residents alike all agreed on the prospects that unification will benefit North Korean residents, albeit with varying degrees of intensity. However, this research identified some degree of differences in the reasons for unification between South Korean residents and North Korean defectors.
North Korean defectors expressed their opinion that capacity building is a key element in preparation for unification. The perception of North Korean defectors can become an important policy-making asset in the capacity-building process in preparation for unification. This research on the perception of North Korean defectors found that social inequality in South Korean society needs to be addressed to improve the acceptability of North Korean defectors and residents in the process of integration into the South Korean capitalist system.
Part of unification is also the successful settlement of North Korean defectors in South Korean society as democratic citizens. Their understanding of the political process is essential, given that defectors could play a bridging role in connecting the people of South Korea and North Korea in the run-up to and after unification. A survey of the party identification of North Korean defectors was conducted this year to address these concerns.
Understanding the party identification of North Korean defectors is important to get a handle on how they will adapt in South Korean society and become a democratic citizen and what political choices they will make in the future. This suggests that education on nurturing democratic citizens should be strengthened in the process of helping North Korean defectors settle into South Korean society. Therefore, the role of social and political organizations should be strengthened so that North Korean defectors can easily settle in South Korean society.
In other words, North Korean defectors with the party identification are more likely to participate in the vote.
