Jeong Dong-young, Minister of Unification, appointed Kim Young-hee, former chief researcher at the Industrial Bank of Korea, as the new chair of the North Korean Defector Support Foundation on October 12.
According to the Ministry of Unification, Kim is the first chairperson from the North Korean defector community since the foundation's establishment in 2010. After entering South Korea in 2002, she has served as an economic expert on North Korea, advising various government ministries and local governments. She has also accumulated expertise in various fields, including overseeing North Korean defector affairs at the foundation.
Kim graduated from Wonsan University of Economics in North Korea and obtained her master's and doctoral degrees in North Korean studies from Kyungnam University and Dongguk University after her arrival in South Korea. She has held positions as the head of the North Korean economy team and senior researcher at the Industrial Bank of Korea, as well as director of external cooperation at the foundation. She also served as the head of the North Korea Development Institute.
With her expertise and over 20 years of experience in settling into South Korean society, she is expected to lead the foundation effectively from the perspective of North Korean defectors. Additionally, her leadership is anticipated to enhance the representation of North Korean defectors and contribute to communication and harmony within their community, as well as to social integration between North and South Korean residents.
During the appointment ceremony, Minister Jeong stated, "As someone who understands the pain and tears of North Korean defectors better than anyone, I ask you to ensure that government policies for North Korean defectors are implemented without gaps. In particular, please strengthen collaboration between the foundation and Hanawon to identify crisis households among North Korean defectors nationwide early and focus more on supporting their economic independence, which is the root of their crises."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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