This study aims at analyzing parental capacity of North Korean female defectors in South Korea and exploring measures to support and strengthen their parental capacity.
Considering the double burden of North Korean female defectors for settling in a new society and performing the role of parents, this study begins defining the concept of parental capacity in three aspects; family life, social adaptation and parental obligations.
Next, the study conducts survey and in-depth/focus group interviews targeting North Korean female/male defectors and their adolescent children.
The analysis of their family life demonstrates that North Korean defectors place more value on their parent-child relationship rather than their husband-wife one and tend to be most content with their parent-child relationship compared to other aspects of life.
It demonstrates the importance of their parent-child relationship and expectation towards their children.
Second, the challenges North Korean female defectors face as parents vary depending on the age of children.
Those with preschool children particularly concern finding a job to finance the cost of child-rearing. As their children grow older (elementary school and higher), however, female defectors find more difficult in supporting their children’s education due to lack of reliable information and financial resources.
As to their parental selfefficacy, North Korean female defectors view themselves positively in performing the basic parental role and maintaining a close relationship with their children, while showing low confidence in parenting and their lack of ability to guide children.
It is largely to do with the lack of access to parenting information since their resource of information is limited to other North Korean defectors and the Internet.
Third, the biggest challenge North Korean female defectors face is financial hardship, followed by parenting difficulties and language problems, which similarly plagues the most male defectors in South Korea. In relation to work, female defectors found the biggest difficulty in balancing demands from their job and parenting, followed by low wages and long working hours in comparison to male defectors who answered long-working hours to be the biggest difficulty. Based on the results, following policy suggestions should be taken into consider.
In order to sustain stable family life, family support programs should be incorporated as part of the education programs at Hana Center, while bolstering their parental roles in collaboration with relevant local institutions.
Furthermore, parenting education programs tailored towards each age group of children should be offered to North Korean defector parents.
Lastly, effective job training, particularly at Hana Center and continuous employment supports should be provided to North Korean defectors.
Making more efforts to address social prejudice and discrimination against North Korean defectors is also crucial for them to settle in the society.
