A Narrative Inquiry into the Sustained Learning Experience of a North Korean Female Defector: From the Perspective of Identity Reconstruction

This study aims to explore how the sustained learning experience of a North Korean female defector influences identity reconstruction. Narrative inquiry was adopted to analyze learning experiences through a three-dimensional framework of temporality, sociality, and place, with data collected through three in-depth interviews. The participant is a woman in her 50s who became a counselor through university and graduate studies over 10 years after defecting, currently working as a professional counselor for North Korean defectors. Three core themes emerged. First, “Journey of Self-Awareness” revealed university admission aspirations, self-understanding awakening, and transformation from role-based existence to authentic self. Second, “Learning Blossoming into Life” confirmed internalization of counseling perspectives, learning community belonging, and confidence acquisition. Third, “From Receiving to Giving” demonstrated overcoming age prejudice, growth as a wounded healer, and formation of unification mission. This study empirically identified the transformation process from life wounds to growth through learning by combining adult learning theory and learning studies. It confirmed that individual learning becomes a driving force for social change, providing implications for adult learners and immigrant policies.