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224 North Korean defectors enter South last year, slightly down from 2024

Published: 20 Jan. 2026, 11:49 Updated: 20 Jan. 2026, 18:04

Paintings wishing for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula are on display on July 13, 2025, in Seoul at a culture event marking the North Korean Defectors' Day. [YONHAP]

A total of 224 North Korean defectors entered South Korea for resettlement last year, slightly down from the previous year, a Ministry of Unification official said Tuesday.

The 2025 total includes 198 female defectors and 26 male counterparts, bringing the cumulative number of North Korean defectors who have resettled in the South to 34,538, the official said.

Inflows of North Korean defectors significantly dwindled during the Covid-19 pandemic amid Pyongyang's tight border controls, before rebounding to 196 in 2023 and 236 in 2024, according to the official.

The official said inflows of North Korean defectors may remain at similar levels going forward, as those who have stayed in third countries, such as China, as stopover points are expected to enter South Korea.

Yonhap