Exploration of the Meaning of University Experience for North Korean Defector Adolescents

Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore the meaning of university enrollment for North Korean defector adolescents through their experiences. Methods To achieve this, four North Korean defector adolescents with university enrollment experience were selected as research participants through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through unstructured interviews. Narrative inquiry, a qualitative research method, was employed to deeply understand their experiences. Results The analysis revealed that, for North Korean defector adolescents, attending university held the significance of enjoying the right to higher education, which was unattainable in North Korea, and experiencing the freedom to communicate with instructors, the freedom of thought, and the freedom to choose their career paths. Additionally, it served as a preparatory stage for acquiring organizational culture and practicing interpersonal relationships before entering South Korean society. It was also meaningful as a place for developing themselves as future leaders for reunification and for independently redesigning their career paths. Conclusions Based on these findings, the study discussed the necessity of higher education support systems for North Korean defectors, the role of universities in providing a foundation for settling into South Korean society, and preparing for inter-Korean unification. It also emphasized the importance of understanding the perceptions and changes in attitudes towards university enrollment and academic discontinuation among North Korean defector adolescents.