Starting a New Life after Crossing the Tumen River: How North Korean Defectors Use Digital Technology in Transition

Title of the Paper

Starting a New Life After Crossing the Tumen River: How North Korean Defectors Use Digital Technology in Transition

Paper Information

• Subject Area: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Socio-Technical Adaptation
• Keywords: Digital technology, social media, North Korean defectors, identity reconstruction, HCI, digital inclusion, social comparison, life transition, online communities

Research Background and Issues

• Issues and Challenges:
  • North Korea has long been a global "blind spot" in digital technology usage, with its citizens having almost no exposure to the internet.
  • After relocating to the highly digitalized society of South Korea, defectors face significant challenges in adapting to their new environment, including cultural shock, unfamiliarity with digital technology, and privacy concerns on social media.
• Research Significance:
  • Exploring how digital technology can assist marginalized groups like North Korean defectors in transitioning to a new life has groundbreaking implications for the fields of HCI and socio-technical development.
• Research Motivation and Objectives:
  • To uncover the key needs and challenges faced by North Korean defectors in adapting to a new life and digital society.
  • To investigate the potential impact of social media and digital technology on identity reconstruction and social inclusion for marginalized groups.

Solutions

• Research Methods:
  • Using qualitative research methods, the study conducted 21 semi-structured interviews to explore how North Korean defectors adapt to South Korea through digital technology.
• Innovative Contributions:
  • This study is the first to incorporate the digital experiences of North Korean defectors into HCI research, proposing a social media-centered model for digital adaptation and identity reconstruction.
  • Based on the theory of "rites of passage," the study constructs a three-phase identity reconstruction model—Separation, Liminality, and Incorporation—integrating the complexities of social media.
• Implementation Steps:
  1. Data Collection: Collaborated with North Korean defector communities in South Korea to recruit 21 participants for interviews, focusing on their digital adaptation process.
  2. Thematic Analysis: Employed open and axial coding to identify thematic patterns in the interview data.
  3. Model Construction: Combined empirical data with existing theories to develop the identity reconstruction model and the social comparison cycle.

Research Findings

• Key Findings:

  1. Challenges in Adapting to South Korea:
     • Defectors initially have significant misconceptions about South Korean culture and society, making integration difficult. They rely on search engines (e.g., Naver) and YouTube for learning.
     • Social media plays a crucial role in bridging cultural and informational gaps but also becomes a source of psychological stress.
  2. Identity Dilemmas in Digital Technology:
     • Defectors hide their North Korean background on social media, attempting to assimilate into South Korean culture. However, repeated social comparisons lead to decreased self-esteem and difficulties in psychological adjustment.
  3. Three-Phase Dynamic Identity Reconstruction:
     • Separation Phase: Abandoning their North Korean identity and concealing their background.
     • Liminality Phase: Observing South Korean society through social media, imitating desired identities but experiencing identity confusion.
     • Incorporation Phase: Embracing their "defector" identity and reshaping self-recognition.

• Comparative Advantages:

  • Compared to traditional studies on refugees and immigrants, this research deepens the understanding of groups transitioning from digitally isolated environments to highly digitalized societies.
  • It provides a dual perspective on the role of social media in both facilitating psychological adaptation and contributing to identity reconstruction for marginalized individuals.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • The study reveals a paradox in social media's role: it aids adaptation by providing information but also triggers social comparison.
  • Most defectors eventually achieve a sense of empathy and identity integration with their North Korean background.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:
    • The sample primarily consists of young defectors aged 20-30, not fully representing defectors of different ages and educational backgrounds.
    • The study does not deeply explore the diversity among defectors and their varying behaviors on social media.
  • Future Directions:
    • Conduct participatory design research to develop integrated digital tools tailored for defectors.
    • Investigate the digital adaptation differences among defectors of varying genders, age groups, and backgrounds, and analyze the effectiveness of digital inclusion policies.
    • Explore the social and cultural barriers faced by "non-users."

This paper uses North Korean defectors as a case study to innovatively explore the complexities of marginalized groups integrating into a digital society, offering a perspective that is both theoretically profound and practically relevant.