World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Lee So-yeon says refugee status and trauma care are key for North Korean defectors abroad
Former North Korean soldier and defector Lee So-yeon says legal status and psychological care are vital for North Koreans settling abroad.
Lee leads the New Korea Women’s Union, which supports the rights and resettlement of North Korean women and children.
Since 2023, she has travelled to countries including the United States, Japan and Britain to meet defectors and raise awareness of their experiences.
Unlike South Korea, where defectors receive housing and temporary basic income, people settling abroad often have to find work and support themselves immediately.
Lee estimates that 500 to 1,000 North Korean defectors live in Britain, with many based around New Malden in southwest London.
Local groups there offer English lessons, help with employment and bills, and educational support for children.
Lee says refugee recognition can help people seek treatment and live with dignity, while the community programmes help them build independent lives.
Lee So-yeon says legal refugee status and psychological care are key to helping North Korean defectors settle abroad.
The former North Korean soldier leads the New Korea Women’s Union, which supports North Korean women and children.
She said support systems abroad differ from South Korea’s, where housing and initial welfare payments are provided.
Lee estimated that 500 to 1,000 North Korean defectors live in the United Kingdom, with many based around New Malden.
Community groups in New Malden help defectors with English, employment and education.
- Who
- Lee So-yeon, head of the New Korea Women’s Union, spoke about North Korean defectors living abroad.
- What
- She said refugee recognition and psychological care are essential to their settlement.
- When
- Lee spoke to Yonhap on October 15; the article was published on October 23, 2026.
- Where
- Lee discussed defectors living abroad, including in the United Kingdom and New Malden.
- Why
- She said legal status allows defectors to seek treatment and live with dignity, while psychological healing is important for settling abroad.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Lee settled in South Korea after defecting from North Korea.
Lee established the New Korea Women’s Union to raise awareness of human rights and support successful settlement for North Korean women and children.
Lee appeared in the documentary Beyond Utopia and began meeting North Korean defectors in other countries.
Lee visited the United Kingdom after the documentary became a finalist in the BAFTA documentary category.
Lee spoke with Yonhap in Seoul about the lives and settlement experiences of North Korean defectors abroad.
Yonhap published its interview with Lee.
- Estimated North Korean defectors in the UK
- 500 to 1,000
- New Malden Korean community
- About 20,000 people
- Lee’s settlement in South Korea
- 2008
- New Korea Women’s Union founded
- 2011
- Interview date
- October 15, 2026
1 source
What people are saying
They need to be recognized as refugees so they can confidently say, ‘I am ill, please treat me,’ and live like human beings.
Legal status guarantees, including refugee recognition, and psychological healing are key challenges for settling abroad.
I thought North Korean compatriots had taken over every country.