North Korean defector numbers slump

Fewer than 100 North Koreans a month defected to South Korea in 2017, the lowest figure since 2001, as both Pyongyang and Beijing tighten controls on the movement of people


TYPICAL ROUTES TO SOUTH KOREA BY NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS
Exit from North
Entry to South
INDIA
RUSSIA
THAILAND
CHINA
Bangkok
MONGOLIA
Ulaanbaatar
Kunming
Beijing
JAPAN

1,000km 620 miles

Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s dictatorial leader


NUMBERS OF NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS ENTERING SOUTH KOREA

Total: 30,392

2017: 1,127 (down 21% on 2016)

3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2001 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17


Sources: Ministry of Unification, AFP 
Picture: Associate Press 
© GRAPHIC NEWS