북한이탈 청소년의 소비생활 정착과정: 근거이론적 접근

Abstract

This study was designed to understand the adjustment process by North Korean youthdefectors to South Korean society as consumers. Specifically, the study intended to identify thepositive and negative consumer experience, self-adaptation process, and the coping responsesof young defectors as well as the contextual and intervening conditions surrounding them. Forthis purpose, seventeen young defectors were recruited and interviewed in-depth. The datawere analyzed using the grounded theory method, which was developed by Strauss and Corbin,following the three steps of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. By using thegrounded theory method, this research put priority in understanding, exploring, and describingyoung North Korean defectors’ experiences as consumers in the socio-cultural context andthe adjustment process into South Korean society. A total of 122 concepts, 26 subcategories, and 10 categories was produced by open coding anda paradigm model was generated by the result of axial coding. The core phenomenon observedin the adjustment process of young North Korean defectors as consumers was “consumerpowerlessness.” A causal condition was found to be “entry into South Korea with high expectation.”And, the contextual conditions were “level of living in North Korea” and “economic activitiesexperience.” Action/interaction strategies were comprised of “problem-focused coping” and “emotionfocusedcoping.” Problem-focused coping involved learning, planning expenditure, earning income,increasing human capital investment, seeking social network, and displaying passive behavior. Emotion-focused coping included confrontation, faith, avoidance, and positive reappraisal. Asfor intervening conditions, “support network” and “identity” were identified. Consequences of theadjustment process were found to be “being prepared to be a member of consumer society” and “losing one’s way in confusion.”Participants were found to have the feeling of powerlessness in performing their consumerroles as resource acquisitor, purchaser, and distributor. Their powerlessness is related to theirstate of material deficiency, ineptness with market transactions, and their lack of financial andconsumer knowledge and skills. Most of the young North Koreans risked their lives to defectfrom North Korea in search for food or a better life and entered South Korea with highexpectations. But, the reality was found to be very different from what they had imagined, andthey felt a big disappointment and powerlessness. Those who were relatively better off in NorthKorea tended to feel an even bigger despair, however those who had experienced some sort ofdeveloped market transactions in other countries tended to confront their reality more easily. Participants attempted to cope with the stressful situations through problem-focused copingsuch as learning, spending less and saving more, earning income, increasing their human capitalinvestment, seeking social network, and displaying passive behavior. They strived to learnconsumer culture of South Korea in a variety of ways. Managing their income and expenditurewas an active way for the participants to prepare for a stable life and cope with the insecurityof the future. They often worked part time to earn immediate money or otherwise prepared forcollege to get a solid job in the future. They also made cognitive efforts to reduce or manageemotional distress by using emotion-focused coping strategies. Although the young NorthKorean consumers experienced despair after realizing how deceiving their dreams were aboutSouth Korea, as time passed, they came to revaluate their lives in a more positive way, whichcould ensure their leap into the future. Family and social network as well as self and socialidentity played an essential role in the adjustment process of the participants by motivatingthem to choose effective coping strategies and become a capable consumer in South Korea. Young North Korean defectors went through confusing and discouraging experiences, graspedhow they should live as consumers in South Korea, rediscovered the meaning of life in a newsociety, and were eventually able to adapt as consumers who think ahead. As a result ofintegrated data interpretation, the core category in the adjustment process of North Koreanyouth defectors as consumers in South Korea was identified to be “facing a reality different fromwhat was expected and having the capability to overcome it on one’s own.” Adaptation to a newsociety would inevitably lead to stress, but the level of stress depends on various factors thatare suggested in this study.