A Qualitative Case Study on North Korean Defectors' Labor Experiences in South Korea

The purpose of this study is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of North Korean defectors’ labor experience and practical and policy implications for employment activation through an analysis of their labor experience in South Korea. To achieve this goal, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight North Korean defectors who had labor experience and had completed their residential protection period, and a multiple qualitative case analysis was conducted. As a result of the analysis, 10 subcategories and 3 themes were derived from 51 concepts. The three themes were ‘Finding a new meaning of labor in an unfamiliar field’, ‘Discovering the meaning of labor that suits me’, and ‘Pioneering my life through labor’. Based on the research results, strategies for career paths, employment, and job adaptation of North Korean defectors were suggested. The suggestions included close cooperation with local community organizations for job selection that suits their aptitude and interests, mentoring and coaching programs for interpersonal relationships as well as language, workplace adaptation, selection and support of North Korean-friendly companies, and providing opportunities for the parties to participate as job seekers.