Unification ministry reviews changing S. Korean term of N. Korean defectors

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young delivers a congratulatory message at the opening ceremony of a unification promotion center in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap

The unification ministry said Tuesday it is considering changing the South Korean term of North Korean defectors, noting the word highlighting their escape from the North carries a negative connotation.

The ministry said it has commissioned a study to review renaming the Korean term of the North's defectors, or "talbukmin" in Korean, with an aim of selecting a new name by the end of this year after collecting opinions from such defectors.

The term "bukhyangmin," which means people who hail from North Korea, is believed to be most favored among the North's defectors.

"The ministry is considering changing the term of (North Korean defectors) in a bid to help them better resettle in the South and promote social integration," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

A survey by the Korea Institute for National Unification last year showed 59 percent of North Korean defectors favor a change in the Korean term referring to them.

The number of North Korean defectors coming to South Korea reached 96 in the first half of 2025, raising the total to 34,410, according to the ministry.