<Anchor>



There are children who are not recognized as North Korean defectors even though they came to Korea with their defector mother.

Because I was born in a third country like China or Laos.



Reporter Min-Jun Kim tells the story of those who are not protected in the blind spot of the law even though they are not receiving any support for North Korean defectors.



<Reporter>



Zhu Cheongryong was born in 2005 in Shandong Province, China.



His mother had a child in China, where she had been living in North Korea.



He lived anxiously in China with fake IDs before he could come to Korea until he was 11 years old.



[Chung-ryong Joo (pseudonym)/Child of North Korean defector born in a third country: Illegally buying a fake ID…

In particular, if there are a lot of police (Chinese public security), you have to hide first.

I think it was very difficult.]



Born in Qingdao, China, 21-year-old Geun-chae came to South Korea with her defector mother four years ago, but she still doesn't speak Korean.



[Koo Geun-chae (pseudonym)/Child of North Korean defector born in a third country: Korean words, too many difficult words…

I'm confused between Yuri and cooking.]



These children of North Korean defectors born in third countries do not receive support under the North Korean Refugee Support Act.



Because the current law stipulates that the target of support is 'those who were born and escaped from North Korea', children born in other countries before they defected to South Korea are excluded from the target of support.



[Kim Tae-hoon / Representative of North Korean youth childcare facility: There is no official organization to help.

Because there is no legal basis...

.

Privately run organizations, especially religious groups, are helping unprotected youth.]



As a result, most of them lead a different life from those born in North Korea.



There are many cases where they suffer from the hardships of living or cannot adapt to Korean society.



[Hongyeon (pseudonym)/Child of North Korean defector born in a third country: All my friends are talking during recess.

I was the only one sitting quietly next to him.]



[Lim Gyeom-chae/North Korean defector alternative school teacher: It’s hard to even work at work.

I can't control my emotions, so it's hard to go out to work and socialize with others.]



(Video coverage: Jeong Kyung-moon · Jo Chang-hyeon, video editing: Park Ji-in, VJ: Kim Jong-gap)



▶ Various support 'alienation' for half of the children of North Korean defectors