Regulation of North Korean Defectors: Validation of the Differences in Perception according to the Total Period of Service as Police and the Security and Service Period of the South Korean Security Police

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to validate the difference in the perception of North Korean defectors by focusing on variables according to the period of service of the security police and the police’s total period of ser-vice, which can provide a high accessibility and experience based results for the North Korean defectors. Method: In this study, 100 South Korean police officers in 2020 were surveyed among the police officers of the security department who had work experiences related to the North Korean defectors, and among the trainees of the Police Human Resources Development Institute, the police institute of education in South Korea. The survey was conducted by the self-administration method, and 91 people’s questionnaires were used as valid samples, excluding the data with insincere responses or missing part of the survey information. Results: In terms of the difference in the perception of North Korean defectors according to the period of police service, the analysis demonstrated that there was a significant difference for the Q-22 question at the level of 5%. That is, it turned out that the longer the total police service period, the more the North Korean defectors had the perception to receive legal support for the purposes of visiting the police station. Furthermore, as for the difference in the perception of the North Korean defectors according to the period of the security police service, the analysis demonstrated a significant difference in the Q-24, Q-34, and Q-38 ques-tions at the 5% level. That is, it turned out that the security police perceived the problems of the North Korean defectors to be personal safety and understanding of the South Korean society, and perceived that the average monthly economic income of the North Korean defectors is stable. Conclusion: As the conclusion of this study, while the police generally perceive the work involving the North Korean defectors as a legal support and a business processing, the longer the service period of the security police, the difference in their perception turned out such that, the more problems with the personal safety of the North Korean defectors and their understanding of the South Korean society. Furthermore, in terms of the security police who are directly in charge of the North Korean defectors, they have a common perception about the North Korean society, such as problem solving through violence, awareness of and avoidance of damages according to the compliance of law, and the justification of individual sacrifice by groups. Hence, it may be interpreted as a result of recognizing it as a result of a lack of personal protection against violent crimes and a lack of understanding of the South Korean society.