북한이탈주민의 남한사회 적응과 통일교육

Abstract

This article will review the Social Adjustment of North Korean Defectors in South Korea, evaluated in view of “integrated elements” of the South and North Korean societies, and then present some tasks for unification education. The term “integrated elements” incorporates the following two concepts: North Korean defectors’ feelings toward maintaining active relationships with South Korean society; and North Korean defectors’ inclination to positively preserve their cultural identity as part of North Korean society. The basis of analysis for this type of integration originates from the acculturation model suggested by J. W. Berry. Consistent preservation of these “integrated elements” may be the most ideal method of adaptation for North Korean defectors in South Korean society. In analyzing defectors’ processes of adjusting to life in South Korea, we should consider important factors such as family stability and family solidarity, employment and job security, economic prosperity, a balanced understanding of the freedoms of South Korean society, the concept of jung(deep feeling) through which North Koreans define themselves emotionally, and the artistry and morality that are intrinsic to North Korean culture. In addition, we should promote higher understanding regarding cultural issues, including the “dark side” of South Korean society, defectors’ understanding of South Koreans as a people, and their difficulties at work. At the same time, we should be aware of the continuing impact of underlying factors such as defectors’ self-conscious recognition of their inferior status, their awareness of how much they have been deceived by the North Korea government, and their painful memories of their experiences in the North. Tasks for Unification education are as follows. First, we need to increase understanding of the unique social and cultural features of North Korean society and the impact these have on defectors. This is essential since North Korea is the land where they were born and raised, and they can never be free from their birth country’s influence. Second, it is important to understand the key features of the stages undergone by North Korean defectors as they adapt to life in South Korea. In fact, defectors often have ambivalent feelings as they adjust to life in their adoptive country, and there are many areas in which their attitudes contrast with those of South Koreans. Third, unification education should play a role in assisting North Korean defectors in moving beyond marginalization to the integration phase. Fourth, it is crucial for members of South Korean society to become more broad-minded, on both the individual and the societal level, regarding the adjustment processes undergone by North Korean defectors, and this can be achieved by combining unification education with multi-cultural education.