Gov’t to Designate July 14 as N. Korean Defectors’ Day

The government is set to announce regulatory revisions designating July 14 as North Korean Defectors’ Day.

According to the interior ministry on Monday, the revisions will be proclaimed on Tuesday, formally declaring North Korean Defectors’ Day as a national memorial day.

July 14 is the day on which the North Korean Defectors Protection and Settlement Support Act was first enforced in 1997.

The unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs is preparing various events to mark the inaugural North Korean Defectors’ Day, including an official ceremony and establishment of a monument to commemorate defectors who lost their lives while attempting to flee their country.

The ministry plans to celebrate July 14 each year as the day to promote inclusivity of North Korean defectors in South Korean society and the creation of a unified culture between the South and North Korean people.