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“They are moving steadily forward in an invisible place. Even when storms rage, a tree with strong roots endures the storm even if its branches are slightly damaged.”
This is a message left in an Instagram post at the end of March by Kim Jeong-hyang, CEO of ‘Jesse Kitchen’, a North Korean food tofu rice that was changed to suit the tastes of South Koreans.
Less than three months later, Mr. Kim left a will and ended his life. He is 32 years old.
The funeral of Mr. Kim, who was classified as a deceased without relatives because he had no relatives in Korea, was held in the form of a public funeral on the 20th at the Seoul Municipal Seunghwawon.
People around her remember that Ms. Kim, who was often introduced in the media as a successful North Korean defector entrepreneur, was confident and bright that she could do anything during her lifetime.
Kim, who was recognized for his unique driving force and even attracted external investment, was often referred to as a ‘model case’ in education for North Korean defectors.
As such, Kim’s death came as sudden and sad news to those who knew him.
Is there a reason why he made an unfortunate choice when he seemed to have adapted better to the capitalist Korean society than anyone else?
North Korean defectors dying alone
When it comes to death without relatives or death by loneliness, it is easy to think of the elderly, but in reality, many North Korean defectors who died without family include young people in their 20s and 30s and middle-aged people in their 40s and 50s.
In the Byeokje Ossuary near the Seoul Municipal Seunghwawon, there is a space where the ashes of deceased North Korean defectors who were cremated are enshrined.
According to data received from the North Korean Defectors Support Foundation (South and North Korea Hana Foundation) by Rep. Tae Young-ho of People’s Power, 33 North Korean defectors were enshrined here from 2016 to April of this year.
In particular, 8 of them were in their 30s, and including 3 in their 20s, one-third of all North Korean defectors who died were in their 20s and 30s.
picture explanation,
Funerals for those with no relatives are held at the Seoul Seunghwawon.
‘Suicide of North Korean defectors cannot be viewed solely for economic reasons’
These figures suggest that there are not a few cases in which even relatively young people face difficulties in the process of settling in South Korea. There is a striking commonality in the ‘death of loneliness’ of North Korean defectors reported in the media over the past few years.
North Korean defector mother Han (42 years old) and son Kim (6 years old) were found dead in a rented apartment in Gwanak-gu, Seoul in July 2019. A former North Korean refugee counselor named Kim (49 years old), who was found dead in a rental apartment in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul last October, also had no relatives to take over the body. They were classified as deceased without relatives, cremated at Seunghwawon in Seoul under the auspices of the Ministry of Unification, and placed in the Byeokje Ossuary.
Related reports mainly focused on the fact that they had ‘not much balance in their bank account’ or ‘there was financial difficulties’. However, people who actually knew them agree that they did not choose death simply because of ‘lack of money’.
Entrepreneur Kim, who acted as Jessie Kim, also faced a difficult situation while doing business. However, although it is difficult to revive, people around them explain that it cannot be said that it was impossible at all, or that there was no place to get help at all.
Kim Jeong-tae, CEO of MYSC, who invested in Jessie Kitchen, shared Kim’s difficult situation as an investor in Jessie Kitchen and was helping.
He said, “Even during the process of overcoming business difficulties, CEO Jessie Kim came out as a speaker at a seminar promoting diversity in the investment ecosystem at the end of last year,” and “I even gave advice to prospective entrepreneurs.”
Mr. Han, who is believed to have died of starvation with his young son in 2019, Mr. Kim, a former professional counselor for North Korean defectors who died in October last year, and Mr. Kim, a young CEO, have several things in common.
All of them were women, and in Korean society, they are remembered by those around them as ‘people with the will to actively settle down’. However, when all three died, there were no relatives, or family, to take over the body.
North Korean defectors who tried to settle down in South Korean society for a better life. They needed more than financial help. North Korean researchers and North Korean defectors say that they are ‘people who can talk openly about their personal afflictions and seek breakthroughs together’.
In the end, it is pointed out that loneliness or isolation is a ‘greater difficulty’ than economic difficulties.
Photo credit, Screenshot_Jessie Kitchen
picture explanation,
Jessi Chichin made North Korean food tofu rice into gondre rice to suit the tastes of South Koreans, and was often introduced in the media as a successful North Korean female entrepreneur.
The difficulty behind the ‘success story’
It is rare for North Korean defectors, who often appeared in the media as successful resettlement cases, to go through hardships or face unfortunate deaths, their stories being known.
Goh, a North Korean researcher who requested anonymity, pointed out that media reports on North Korean defectors “have a problem with not being able to portray multi-layered situations in three dimensions.” It is objectified and treated with a hierarchical perspective.”
Regarding the death of Kim Jeong-hyang, CEO of ‘Jesse’s Kitchen’, Mr. Ko said, “I did a lot of interviews in various media and lived really hard, but at that time, it appeared a lot on YouTube or anywhere. But (Kim’s) death was not known, I feel that I am not given enough opportunities to commemorate them,” he said. “I only saw what I and Korean society wanted to see. I thought that was really harsh.”
Songi (pseudonym), a North Korean defector who settled in South Korea in 2011, said in an interview with BBC Korea, “Both former North Korean defector counselor Kim and young CEO Kim knew it as a ‘successful settlement case’ or ‘settlement example’.” Counselor Kim said, “I wasn’t close, but there were times when I knew him and he was a very smart person.”
Songi, like the two, said, “In the case of North Korean defectors who are known as ‘successful’ or ‘model’ cases, they seem to have a tendency to be impatient with any difficulties or financially indebted situations.” I feel that these people who are said to have succeeded like this rather than those who continue the .
Researcher Kwon Jin-ah of the Institute for Peace and Unification of Soongsil University also says that North Korean refugees who have been recognized in this way “have the same aspect of being unable to tell others about their difficulties because they put in more effort behind the scenes.” Researcher Kwon also said, “In fact, I believe that such so-called successful people may actually find it more difficult to find help if things do not go as well as before at some point.”
CEO Kim of MY Social Company said, “In the end, the team building with the early members, which was like a joint venture, did not go well,” while Mr. Kim, who died, was running Jessi Kitchen. As the direction changed, the initial members eventually left and only the CEO and workers remained.”
Representative Kim said that although this process is “a difficulty that all entrepreneurs face,” he said, “As a North Korean defector, there are special difficulties in the process of establishing social relationships, so we need more efforts to support the community.”
picture explanation,
On the morning of the 10th, while Hanawon, an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Unification that supports the social settlement of North Korean defectors, is celebrating its 24th anniversary, North Korean defectors are receiving confectionery and baking training at the Hanawon Vocational Education Center.
‘We need a community where we can open up’
Many North Korean refugee women go through difficult situations such as physical torture and sexual abuse during the process of escaping North Korea, or pregnancy and childbirth after marriage.
Researcher Kwon said, “Even when I talked to people who came from North Korea and seemed to be ‘going well’, all of them had difficulties.” When it comes to those who seem to have succeeded, they (the latter) know all too well what the difficulties are, which means that if you turn the tables, they are actually going through all the difficult times.”
Researcher Kwon also said that many North Korean refugee women are afraid to talk about their trauma, saying, “In the process of defecting from North Korea, there are many people who say that they cannot tell their mothers or their families because the things they went through in China left so much scars. “he said.
Researchers explain that even after the trauma experienced by North Korean refugee women during the process of escaping from North Korea and the guilt of leaving their family behind in North Korea are relieved, emotions come back when they experience difficulties in the process of settling in South Korea.
Ms. Songi says, “If you listen to the stories of North Korean defectors around you, they lose their wishful thinking more after five years or more than those who have settled in South Korea less than five years.”
He added, “Each person has a different disposition,” but added, “Due to the nature of North Korean refugees who are often alone because they cannot come with their families, not being able to play a role as a member of society in the family community seems to affect loneliness or isolation.” .
According to the North-South Reunification Foundation’s 2022 North Korean defector resettlement survey and social integration survey, North Korean defectors’ satisfaction with life in South Korea steadily increased from 63% in 2015 to 77.4% in 2022.
However, among North Korean defectors who answered that they were not satisfied, the most common reason for dissatisfaction was ‘being separated from family’ (29.1%). Other reasons cited were ‘fierce competition’ (20.2%) and ‘discrimination and prejudice in South Korean society’ (17.1%).
North Korean defectors say that most of them need a ‘mentor’ who can share their difficulties with them, as they often suffer from collapsed families and the problem of having no relatives in South Korean society.
Yobel Coffee CEO Park Yo-sep runs a cafe as a North Korean defector CEO and runs educational programs to help North Korean defectors adapt to South Korean society.
Regarding the death of Mr. Kim, a young North Korean defector like himself, CEO Park said, “The business was in a difficult situation, but it does not seem that recovery was impossible.” I think the biggest problem was the lack of community,” he said.
2023-07-10 10:20:04
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