North Korea Immigration

Category: Immigration

Population: 23,301,725
Ethnic Composition: Korean; small ethnic Chinese and Japanese populations.
Birth Rate: 15.54 births/1,000 population
Death Rate: 7.13 deaths/1,000 population
Rate of Immigration: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Reasons for immigration or emigration: Migration in the North Korean context can largely be divided into two types: humanitarian and economic. North Korean emigration primarily consists of refugees and temporary contract workers sent by the government to work abroad. Migration to North Korea, on the other hand, primarily involves temporary visits by (mostly South Korean) business managers, investors, and tourists. Most movement is a result of the South Korean Ministry of Unification's efforts to bring the North and South economically, socially, and eventually politically closer together.
Political and social reactions to immigration: North Korea imposes very strict migration controls on the entries and exits of foreigners and of its citizens. Despite being a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights since 1981, North Korea does not uphold Article 12(2) of the law, which states, "Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own." North Korea has long regarded unauthorized departure as an act of treason. Individuals who are caught emigrating or helping others to cross the border illegally are detained in political penal-labor colonies, known as kwan-li-so. Prisoners serve anywhere between two to seven years in these camps, where rates of torture and death are notoriously high.