360 N. Korean defectors arrive in South in Q1
2014/04/08 09:44
SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- A total of 360 North Koreans fled their home and arrived in South Korea in the first quarter of this year, registering a slight increase from a year earlier, the unification ministry said Tuesday.
According to the data compiled by the ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, 153 North Koreans settled in the South in January, 111 in February and 96 in March.
The figure for the quarter was slightly higher than the 319 entrants for the same period in 2013 and the 352 people in 2012, the data showed.
"The 2014 tally was slightly higher than that of the previous two years, but it remains to be seen until the end of this year if it indicates any significant changes," a ministry official said.
Last year, a total of 1,516 North Koreans settled in the South, up slightly from 2012 when 1,502 people crossed the border, according to ministry data. South Korea is now home to 26,124 North Koreans.
A steady stream of people from the communist country has fled their home to avoid chronic food shortages and harsh political oppression, prompting the authorities to strengthen their patrol along the border with China, according to sources.
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