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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Monica Charsley

Anxious North Korean defectors get special training on how to live in 'normal' society

Brave North Korean defectors are undergoing life-changing training in a bid to enter society after surviving South Korea.

For three months, North Koreans are welcomed into a secure compound to learn vital skills after escaping poverty and repression.

Despite trying to leave their trauma behind, the refugees aren't safe from danger until they've reached the private facility in Seoul.

The Settlement Support Centre, also known as Hanawon, is located around two hours from the South Korean capital in a rural woodland.

The safe haven is made of multi-storey structures which include a part training hub, re-education centre and medical facility.

Arrivals can sign up to cooking lessons (AP)

Hanawon's training centre includes 22 blossoming courses in subjects such as baking, beauty and clothes making, reports the BBC.

One room is designed to look like a nail parlour, whilst another was transformed to look like a phone shop - with smartphones on display.

The amount of North Koreans to risk the journey has dramatically declined over the years, with the figure of 3000 arrivals per year, falling to 1000 before hitting a mere 100 during the pandemic.

The decline was largely due to the country sealing its borders. However, the government in Seoul believes more people will flee as Covid rules have since been relaxed.

A nail art class at the support centre (AP)

Unification Minister Kwon Young-se has warned South Korea needs to be ready to greet the potential influx of arrivals.

"We need to think of defectors not as aliens, but as neighbours whose hometown is in the North," he said.

The multi-room facilities are also designed to focus on mental health as refugees try to overcome the turmoil they had faced.

Dr Jeon Jin-yong, who has worked at the facility, said arrivals live in constant fear that they will be caught.

The facility hopes to see more visitors (AP)

Three women, who are currently at the facility, said they were still riddled with anxiety, despite managing to escape from China.

One of the female defendants said she struggled to get a Chinese identity card, which meant she could not get access to medical facilities or a bank card.

Whilst another emotionally revealed that she was paid just half of the wages of a Chinese worker.

Refugees can also seek medical help (JEON HEON-KYUN/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Businesswoman Kim Sung-hui, 49, graduated from the facility more than ten years ago and now successfully sells her own rice wine.

"It wasn't until I graduated from Hanawon that I finally realised that I was safe," she said.

"The first night on the outside is a memorable one for all defectors. I felt such relief that I was finally in South Korea. I hugged my daughter and started to cry - not because I was sad or lonely - but because we'd survived," she said.

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