North Korean defectors to South tripled in 2023, Seoul says

News Snapshot:

The number of North Koreans who defected to South Korea tripled last year, as the easing of border closures imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic encouraged students, women and diplomats to make the perilous journey. At 196, the number was still well below the pre-pandemic average, but South Korean authorities said the backgrounds of many recent defectors pointed to growing discontent with the regime of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. Defector numbers plummeted after North Korea sealed its border with China in early 2020 to prevent the virus from crippling its already inadequate healthcare system, with guards reportedly ordered to...