• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.395-402
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• 2017

This study examinedthe adaptive flexibility of North Korean adolescent defectors in order to examine how they should see themselves and cope with various situations, and analyzedthe effect of their resilience on their self-esteem and social problem-solving ability. The study subjects were 223 North Korean adolescents (10 - 25 year olds) living in South Korea. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 statistical programs. The study results showed that the resilience of North Korean adolescents had a statistically significant effect on their self-esteem and social problem-solving ability. In particular, resilience had a high correlation with self-esteem, and self-esteem had a high correlation with social problem solving ability. In addition, self-esteem was the mediating factor between resilience and social problem-solving ability. The self-esteem of North Korean adolescent defectors played a particularly important role. Therefore, professional protection and support should be provided with the help of related experts such as youth leaders and counselors who would be able to enhance the self-esteem of North Korean adolescent defectors.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.193-219
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• 2006

This study analyzes 47 articles dealing with refugees in library and information science field. The subjects of these articles are such various as the cases of refugee service in libraries and information centers, the library service guidance for refugees, information resources of refugees and forced migration study, and information need and Information seeking behavior of refugees. However, the research of this area has such limitations and weakness as the small scale of articles about refugees, the scarcity of professional researchers, the deficient studies concentrating refugees directly, and the unprepared research methods. Tn particular, there was no article about refugee which was produced by the library and information science field in South Korea. Urgently needed is the research of information needs and information seeking behavior of North Korean refugees considering the recent influx of North Korean refugee into South Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.622-631
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify health knowledge, health promoting behavior and factors influencing health promoting behavior of North Korean defectors in South Korea. Methods: Participants in this study were 410 North Korean defectors, over 20 years of age residing in Seoul. They were recruited by snowball sampling. Data were collected from April to June, 2010. Health knowledge, health promoting behavior, self-efficacy, perceived barriers to health promoting behavior and social support were measured by structured questionnaires, and perceived physical and mental health status were measured by one item with 10-point numeric rating scale. The data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression. Results: Health knowledge, health promoting behavior, and perceived barriers to health promoting behavior were moderate while self-efficacy and social support were high. Factors influencing health promoting behavior of the participants were found to be self-efficacy, social support and perceived barrier to health promoting behavior. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that nursing intervention programs enhancing self-efficacy, social support and reducing perceived barriers to health promoting behavior need to be developed for North Korean defectors in South Korea.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.45-60
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• 2013

Objectives : The number of North Korean refugees is remarkably increasing nowadays and there are many social and cultural issues related to their settlements in Korea. Stereotyping of group is generally unique and has influences on emotions and behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among stereotyping, emotion and service behavior of South Korean dentist towards North Korean refugee. Methods : Questionnaires for stereotyping, emotions and service behaviors were devised based on previous researches. Two-hundred and eighteen Korean dentists were randomly chosen and questionnaires were distributed. Correlation analysis, reliability analysis and primary component analysis were performed. Student t-test and one-way ANOVA were done to elucidate differences according to demographic factors. To examine the relationship among constructs, regression analysis was performed. Results : Stereotyping, emotions, and service behaviors are significantly related each other construct. South Korean dentists' stereotyping and emotions toward North Korean refugees are significantly different from those toward South Korean but service behavioral intentions were not different according to any demographic factor. Conclusions : The results imply that more contacts and education system are necessary to South Korean dentists to change their negative stereotyping and emotions toward North Korean refugees although their service behaviors are not affected at the moment.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to assess the use of mental health services by North Korean defectors. The study sought to understand the determinants of use with socio-demographical characteristics and the barriers of using mental health service. Methods : Data were collected from a sample of the 300 North Korean defectors who have settled in South Korea within the last three years, aged 18 years and older. Face-to-face interviews and a survey using the North Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were conducted. Results : 21.0% of respondents reported the use of mental health services. Among them, 16.0% reported the use of mental health specialty, 2.0% reported the use of general medical services, and 3.0% reported the use of others. Of the respondents who had one or more psychiatric disorders, 28.8% used mental health services. The highest rate of use of mental health services was by respondents who are aged over 50 years old, had less than 10 years of education, and were unemployed. Of those who suffered from a psychiatric disorder but did not seek for consultation, 74.4% said that they could handle the problem by themselves, and 74.6% asserted that they had no psychiatric disorder. Conclusion : North Korean defectors in South Korea used mental health services more than the general South Korean population. It would be crucial to provide appropriate mental health services based on the needs of North Korean.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and clinical characteristics of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in North Korean defectors (NKD). Methods : The study population consisted of 300 NKDs registered in the multi-regional adaptation center (Hana Center), within three years of settling in South Korea. We conducted in-person interviews and a survey with each subject, based on the North Korean version of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (NK-CIDI) and various clinical scales. Results : Lifetime prevalence of PTSD in NKDs was 15.3%, approximately nine times higher than South Koreans (1.7%). Although experiencing broader type of traumas with higher rate than South Koreans, NKDs revealed lower odds of PTSD in most type of trauma (p<0.05). Conclusion : NKDs are at higher risk of experiencing different types of trauma than the general population in South Korea, and it is further validated that prevalence of PTSD is also higher. Careful evaluation for comorbid psychiatric symptoms and type of traumas prior to PTSD treatment for NKDs is necessary to facilitate more appropriate intervention for each subject, according to personal experience.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.49-58
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• 2021

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal trajectories of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression and to identify the factors that influence these trajectories in North Korean Defectors (NKD). Methods : NKD (n=300) who registered in the multi-regional adaptation center (Hana Center), within three years of settling in South Korea, were recruited into this study. Life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression were assessed with self-report questionnaires over a period of 4 years (7 waves of data). Latent growth modeling was conducted to assess the changes in life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression. Results : Findings from both unconditional and conditional models (with gender, South Korea settlement age, household income, marital status, and PTSD at wave 1) indicated a linear increase in loneliness and depression, and a linear decrease in life satisfaction over the 4-year period. In the conditional model, gender predicted the intercept of life satisfaction and depression. In addition, PTSD predicted the intercept of life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression and slope of depression. Conclusion : Our finding suggests that the mental health of NKD tends to deteriorate over time after settling in South Korea. Therefore, continuous support is necessary for their successful adaptation to the South Korean Society.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.845-857
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• 2020

As the number of North Korean refugees increases in South Korean, their acculturation to life in their host country is coming to be an important social issue. This study explores some clothing-related barriers experienced by North Korean refugees and their moderating effects on acculturation to South Korea. Data were collected using a self-administered survey of 163 female and 37 male North Korean refugees in South Korea aged 20 to 69 years. Descriptive analyses, t-tests, ANOVA, Duncan tests, and moderated multiple regression were conducted using SPSS 20.0 and Process Macro v.3.3. The results show that the North Korean refugees who participated in the study had experienced clothing-related barriers regarding fashion terminology and shopping rituals in South Korea. In particular, those in their 60s perceived more clothing-related barriers than those in their 20s and 30s. Next, the clothing-related barriers experienced by North Korean refugees have a negative moderating influence on the relationship between self-esteem and acculturation in South Korea. This study provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between fashion and the acculturation of North Korean refugees to South Korea. The results of the study can be also helpful of government policy makers, practitioners, and academics to develop education programs for North Korean refugees.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.201-208
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate reunification perception among groups with different cognitive bias(anchoring bias) through empirical studies. This study assumes that cognitive bias occurs according to the content of N. Korea provided in school education, and that the cognitive bias formed in youth creates a difference in perception of N. Korea and reunification. For empirical study, a survey of reunification awareness conducted by the Institute for Peace an Unification Studies-Seoul National University was used, and the two groups are divided into A-group that chose "anti-communism or security" and B-group that did "reunification interests, multi-culturalism and understanding North Korea" according to N. Korea content which was encountered in school education during adolescence. A-group recognized N. Korea as a hostile target even after becoming an adult, while B-group regarded N. Korea as a one of dialogue and cooperation. This analysis illustrates the existence of cognitive bias between the two groups because of N. Korea content which was given in school education. A-group had a lower percentage than B-group in terms of the benefits of reunification to S. Korea and the need for more dialogue and compromise with N. Korea. However, there was no difference between two groups in terms of acceptance of N. Korean defectors. This research result could be a reference to the direction of school education policies relating to reunification in that early school education affects reunification awareness and perception related with N. Korea even in adulthood.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.371-379
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• 2001

The present study was conducted to determine whether the food shortage situation in North Korea has affected its people differentially according to social class. We performed a literature search on North Korean books and documents on food and nutrition. We also conducted a mail survey on North Korean defectors to estimate the energy and nutrient intake and the practice of foraging for wild foods at the time of food crisis in North Korea. The subjects were 150 adults, 104 men and 46 women, aged 20 years and older, who resettled in the South Korea after the food crisis. The mean energy intakes for men and women were estimated to be 1,260 kcal and 980.6 kcal, respectively, which were far less than 2,900 kcal and 2,600 kcal, the intake levels recommended for North Korean men and women, respectively. Thirty seven percent of the subjects reported a lack of foods adequate enough for work and other daily activities, and fifty seven percent reported a routine use of wild foods such as roots, grass, stalks, and tree bark with an average of 4 items per day. Food consumption patterns on a typical day were different by social classes with the high class people consuming an affluent diet in the midst of a severe food shortage.