North Korean Refugee Students' Narratives on High School Experiences in South Korea

• In Event: Roundtable Session 39
  In Roundtable Session: Experiencing Difference: Constructing Identities in Educational Spaces

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine North Korean refugee students, focusing on their experiences in South Korean high schools. Based on in-depth interviews of ten North Korean refugee students, the study aims to reveal the unheard voices and attempts to contribute to providing more relevant educational services that meets the increasing need of diverse students in Korea as well as other contexts. Results illustrated that North Korean refugee students suffer from hardships in South Korean schools due to the differences in South and North Korean curriculum, teacher-student relationships, peer relationships, and school culture. However, it appeared that the years they lived in South Korea affected their peer relationships and cultural adaption.

Authors

• Pearl Jinjoo Chung, Yonsei University

• Won Pyo Hong, Yonsei University

• Dajung Sohn

• Hyosun Kim, The University of Yonsei in South Korea