북한 국경도시 여성들의 시장 경험과 삶의 변화에 대한 사례연구

Abstract

The present study is concerned with North Korean defector women who previously engaged in economic activity and smuggling while in North Korea. The study analyzes the prior economic activity and smuggling experiences of the participants. It also examines the change in their perception of the North Korean regime and the free market economy as well as their identity built through such change. Yin’s(2009) case study method was employed in the present study. In order to ensure data represented recent trends, the researcher selected five participants using snowball sampling among North Korean women who defected during the Kim Jong-un era. Data were collected through one-on-one in-depth interviews with the participants. The results of the study are as follows: A total of 68 individual topics were derived from the interview data. The researcher organized the topics on the basis of the similarity of experience, resulting in the formation of 19 categories. These categories were rearranged into the following units of analysis: 「Origin of the market」, 「Acquisition of market economy」, 「Opportunity of smuggling trade」, 「Factors inhibiting economic activity in the market」, 「Opportunity of defecting from North Korea」and「Results」. The results of the study show that, through economic activity and border smuggling, the interviewees developed an awareness that the North Korean regime operates inconsistently, learned the principles of free market economy, and found their rights through defection. Based on the findings, the study discusses measures to apply North Korean defectors’ market experience to strengthen their adaptability in South Korean society, criticizes the male-dominated North Korean society, and makes policy-level proposals to help North Korean defector women.