Economic participation and employment rates among North Korean defectors in South Korea have improved this year, narrowing key gaps with the general population, according to a government-affiliated survey released Wednesday. The findings suggest progress in long-term integration while highlighting disparities that persist.
Data from the North Korean Refugees Foundation indicates the labor force participation rate for defectors rose to 64.8% in 2025, a 0.7 percentage point increase from the previous year. The employment rate climbed 1.2 points to 61.3%, while the unemployment rate fell 0.9 points to 5.4%.
Despite the gains, defectors continue to trail the broader South Korean population, whose labor force participation and employment rates stand at 65.6% and 63.8%, respectively. The defector unemployment rate remains 2.6 points higher than the national average of 2.8%. However, both the employment and unemployment gaps have narrowed compared to last year, signaling gradual convergence with the mainstream labor market.
Average monthly wages for salaried defectors held steady at approximately $1,900. Notably, job stability showed improvement: average employment tenure lengthened to 40.1 months, a gain of 2.4 months, and the share of defectors remaining in the same job for three years or longer increased to 37.1%.
Measures of social integration also strengthened. A record 81.2% of respondents expressed satisfaction with life in South Korea, up 1.6 points from last year. Satisfaction was highest among teenagers (92.9%), residents outside the Seoul metropolitan area (82.5%), and those who have lived in the South for three to five years (83.2%).
The most frequently cited reason for satisfaction was “the ability to live freely.” The primary source of dissatisfaction remained separation from family members still in North Korea or third countries.
The share of defectors reporting experience of discrimination or social disregard due to their background fell to 14%, a decrease of 2.3 points and the lowest level since the survey began.
“These are encouraging findings that show settlement conditions for North Korean defectors are improving overall,” said Lee Joo-tae, acting chair of the foundation.
The annual survey, used to inform policy aimed at stable social integration, was conducted in May and June. It covered 2,500 defectors aged 15 and older who arrived in South Korea between 1997 and 2024. Full results are available on the foundation’s website and the national statistics portal.
