Health Status and Economic Assimilation of North Korean Defectors in South Korea

This study investigates the health status of defectors from North Korea and their process of assimilating into the economy of South Korea. Utilizing data from the National Health Insurance database spanning 2003 to 2022, we constructed a comprehensive dataset covering nearly all North Korean defectors in South Korea, alongside a 2 percent control sample that was randomly selected from the national population. Our findings indicate a higher incidence of medical treatment for mental illnesses and infectious diseases among North Korean defectors than native South Koreans. Through a panel analysis, we observed a significant initial income disparity between North Korean defectors and South Koreans, which narrows as the defectors’ length of residence in South Korea increases. However, the income gap remains large even decades after their arrival, thus suggesting potential challenges in achieving economic convergence considering the working period of North Korean defectors in South Korea. Furthermore, defectors arriving with infectious diseases or mental health issues tend to earn less than those without such health concerns. The economic disparity associated with mental health issues tends to decrease over longer periods of residence, while the gap related to infectious diseases does not diminish over time.

economic assimilation · economic convergence · health status · income gap · length of residence · Mental illness · North Korean defectors · South Korea · Infectious Diseases · Korean Peninsula Historical and Political Studies · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Health and Trauma