Third Master Plan for Settlement
Support for North Korean Defectors (2021-2023)
May 18, 2021
The Government held a meeting of the Consultative Council on North
Korean Defectors and deliberated upon and resolved the Third Master
Plan for Settlement Support for North Korean Defectors (2021-2023) and
the 2021 Implementation Plan for Settlement Support for North Korean Defectors.
After taking office, the Moon Jae-in Government adopted the
“daily-life oriented support program for North Korean defectors” as a
policy task and incorporated it into the Second Master Plan
(2018-2020). As a result, new indexes on daily life of North Korean
defectors settling in South Korean society are being created.
The average monthly wage of North Korean defectors increased from
KRW 1.787 million in 2017 to KRW 2.161 million in 2020. The average
months of continuous service rose from 25.2 to 31.6 months during the
same period, and the economic activity indexes of North Korean
defectors are on the rise as well.
* Although some indexes deteriorated due to COVID-19 in 2020,
the indexes as a whole have improved. (Change in unemployment rate
(7.0%→6.9%→6.3%→9.4%) and in employment rate (56.9%→60%→58.2%→54.4%)
from 2017 to 2020).
The subjective life satisfaction of
North Korean defectors increased from 73.6% to 76.4% during the same
period. As such, objective and subjective settlement indexes are improving.
* Source: Survey of Settlement Support for North Korean
Defectors (2017-2020, Korea Hana Foundation).
Based on
these findings, the Third Master Plan sets forth 24 policy tasks for
six objectives that central administrative agencies and local
governments will pursue together over the next three years.
| * Six objectives: ① Creating an inclusive
social environment that embraces North Korean defectors, ②
Reinforcing the protection and support system for North Korean
defectors, ③ Increasing support services for the daily life of
the vulnerable groups, ④ Offering personalized job matches so
that North Korean defectors become more self-reliant and
self-supporting, ⑤ Helping youth defectors receive proper
education and North Korean defectors form healthy families, and
⑥ Improving the facilities and staffing for settlement
support. |
The Third Master Plan was formulated after gathering
extensive opinions from North Korean defectors, officials from
appropriate agencies, academics, and experts through on-site visits,
meetings, and consultations since last year.
The Third
Master Plan sets forth a goal of “realizing a welcoming society in
which North Korean defectors become neighbors” and the basic direction
of pursuing settlement support with a focus on social integration by
increasing emotional and psychological support as well as financial
assistance.
The Government carries on the direction of the
Second Master Plan which expanded services for daily life and
emphasized the protection of the vulnerable groups.
It
also provides psychological and emotional support for North Korean
defectors; encourages the participation and cooperation of government
agencies and local administrative bodies; and focuses on expanding
customized services in consideration of the demands from North Korean
defectors for comprehensive support.
The Government will
work closely with appropriate agencies for the smooth implementation
of the Third Master Plan, and further efforts to help North Korean
defectors settle in our society as true neighbors.
