Of them, 59 were women and four were men. All entered South Korea through third countries including China, with no cases of direct entry from North Korea, according to the ministry.
With their arrival, the cumulative number of North Korean defectors who have settled in South Korea reached 34,600.
The ministry attributed the decline in the number of defectors to tighter border controls by North Korea, which have made it more difficult for them to pass through third countries, even after the isolated country gradually reopened its borders following the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of North Korean defectors dropped sharply during the pandemic, falling from 229 in 2020 to 63 in 2021 and 67 in 2022. It later rose to 196 in 2023, 236 in 2024 and 223 in 2025.
AJP Takeaways:
- South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Thursday that 63 North Korean defectors arrived in South Korea in the first half of 2026, down from 96 during the same period in 2025.
- Of the 63 North Korean defectors who arrived in South Korea in the first half of 2026, 59 were women and four were men.
- All 63 North Korean defectors who arrived in South Korea in the first half of 2026 entered through third countries, including China, with no cases of direct entry from North Korea.
- The arrival of 63 North Korean defectors in the first half of 2026 brought the cumulative number of North Korean defectors who have settled in South Korea to 34,600.
- South Korea's Unification Ministry attributed the decline in defector numbers to tighter border controls by North Korea, which have made it more difficult for defectors to pass through third countries even as North Korea gradually reopened its borders following the coronavirus pandemic.
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