Although half of North Korean defectors living in Korea faced consumer damages, the ratio of their giving up on turning to consumer redress was surveyed to be as high as double that number of the general public. This tells us that consumer education for the North Korean defectors must come without delay.

The Korea Consumer Agency (President: Kim Young-seen, www.kca.go.kr) conducted a research on ‘North Korean Defectors’ Consumption and their sense of Consumption’ by asking questions to 310 North Korean defectors and carrying out in-depth interviews with 10 defectors. And, 153 persons (49.4%) of the respondents said that they had suffered consumer damages. According to the survey result, the top consumer damage item was mobile phone (21.6%, 67 persons), while the top consumer damage service was insurance (15.8%, 49 persons). And, as for consumer damage type, ‘quality defect’ (44.3%, 70 persons) and ‘difference in actual contract’ (53.3%, 49 persons) were the most frequent for item and services, respectively.   

Meanwhile, most of the respondents (89.9%, 277 persons) answered that they hope for sustained consumer education except the one given out of obligation at the early stage of their settlement in South Korea and said that contents of education to be given should include ‘How to purchase and use products and services’ (24.6%, 64 persons) and ‘How to deal with consumer damages’ (23.1%, 60 persons).  

Based on these results, the KCA emphasized the need of consumer protection measures for the North Korean defectors as the number one priorities to assist the North Korean refugees in settling down in South Korea and provision of institutional strategies including prevention measures and substantial consumer education regarding consumer damages.