The suicide rate among North Korean defectors is three times higher than that of South Korean residents. In fact, 45.5% of defector women said they had thought about suicide within the past year. In 2019, a heartbreaking tragedy occurred in Seoul, where a woman in her 40s who had fled North Korea and her 6-year-old son died of starvation after being left in a welfare blind spot. Soon-sil, who resettled in South Korea 20 years ago, has also personally endured this harsh reality.
“I left North Korea during the Arduous March and have been living in South Korea for 20 years now. Through remarriage, workplace adjustments, and facing social prejudice, I realized just how important emotional support is. Then one day, the older brother of a close friend suddenly passed away. On the surface, he seemed to be living a stable life… but in that moment, I recognized how desperately North Korean defectors need a safe space to share their true feelings. That’s why I decided to establish the Unification Education and Welfare Center(UEWC).”
UEWC is a specialized institution for psychological and emotional support, founded and led by North Korean defectors themselves. Because it is run by people who have endured and overcome the same hardships, the Center deeply understands what services are truly needed. Rather than focusing on financial aid, the Center is dedicated to healing the heart and building a psychological safety net, so that defectors no longer have to suffer in isolation.
“I too went through a time when I couldn’t share my feelings with anyone. That is why I now want to help other North Korean defectors walk their own path to healing. I believe that the pain I experienced can become hope for someone else.”
The core program of UEWC is the “Sharing Hearts Group Counseling.” Held once or twice a month, it brings together people with similar experiences to open up about their true feelings and support one another. The Center also provides individual counseling sessions, helping North Korean defectors so they don’t have to suffer alone. Seasonal healing workshops support the full recovery of both body and mind, while community events with South Korean residents create a warm space where defectors no longer need to hide their identity.
The UEWE plans to use the Bridge crowdfunding support fund to host the “Unification Harmony Festival.” This event will bring together North Korean defectors and local residents, creating a space to understand cultural differences and build empathy between the two communities. It will serve as an important opportunity to raise awareness of the presence and social value of defectors within the community, while fostering an atmosphere of inclusion and integration.
Please join us on this journey, helping North Korean defectors move beyond psychological isolation into a warm and welcoming community. By supporting this initiative, you can help protect even one more precious life and become part of the bridge of hope built together by defectors and local residents.
