The Concerns and Potential of North Korean Defector Students' Education: Teachers' Perceptions at "A Alternative School"

Headnote

Structured Abstract

Article Type: Research Article

Purpose-Most of the existing studies on North Korean defector students' education have assumed the students' need of social and educational adaptation in South Korea. However, limited insights questioned such an assumption prevailing in both academia and educational practice. Acknowledging such a gap, this study aims to question the assumption on the emphasis on adaptation in North Korean defector students' education by exploring teachers' perspectives.

Design, Methodology, Approach-To explore North Korean defector students' education from teachers' perspectives, this study interviewed eight teachers who work at an alternative school for North Korean defector students, observed the school environment, and collected a sampling of the students' work.

Findings-The findings indicate that mere adaptation in South Korean society is not the essential focus of North Korean defector students' education. The educational objectives, limitations, and concerns from teachers' perspectives signal that fostering the students into global citizens is more substantial.

Practical Implications-This study provides a motive for scholars and policy makers to reconsider their assumptions on North Korean defector students' adaptation in South Korean society.

Originality, Value-Questioning the prevailing assumption in North Korean defector students' education and integrating teachers' perspectives, this paper attempts to present a discussion for a new approach to North Korean defector students' education.

Keywords: adaptation, alternative school, global citizenship, perspective, North Korean defector students

Introduction

As the total number of North Koreans defecting to South Korea exceeds 30,000, there has been a diverse range of social issues raised. North Korean defectors are becoming a part of South Korean society, and how the society must perceive and integrate them has been questioned. North Korean defectors in South Korea are refugees, immigrants, minorities, and brothers under the name of "one nation" all at once. In this regard, the way North Korean defectors are defined often changes as political interests change. As the way they are politically and socially defined fluctuates, the way North Korean defectors define themselves in South Korea is influenced. It leads to the significance of education, particularly for youths at school age. Even though the existing education heavily emphasizes adaptation to South Korean society, North Korean defector students are still struggling to adapt to the new society. This study finds the significance of conducting a study which questions...