It's extremely rare for North Korean citizens, much less high ranking officials, to flee the country, as harsh punishments are imposed on those who are caught trying, as well as their families back home.

北韓人民逃離北韓的情況極為罕見，尤其是高級官員，因為只要企圖逃跑被抓到，就會遭受到嚴峻的刑罰，甚至會連累家人。

Nevertheless, it does happen.

然而，這種情況還是發生了。

So how does someone defect from North Korea, and what happens to those who do?

那麼，他們是如何逃離北韓，逃離後又會發生什麼事呢?

Well, a “defector” is someone who flees to an enemy country, which for North Korea, is basically anywhere outside its borders.

「叛逃者」的意思就是逃到敵國；就北韓而言，敵國幾乎是境外所有地方。

Although leaving North Korea without permission is illegal and the country maintains rigid border controls, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have successfully defected since the mid 20th century.

雖然在未獲得政府允許下出國是不合法的，北韓在邊界也有戒備森嚴的出入境檢查，但在 20 世紀後，仍有數十萬北韓人成功脫北。

Most escape through the country’s shared border with China.

大部分的人是從與中國接壤的北韓邊境逃跑的。

Under Chinese law, North Korean defectors are considered illegal economic migrants, and must be returned to their home country, regardless of whatever punishments await them.

但在中國法律之下，北韓的叛逃者被認為是非法經濟移民，因此無論回國後會有怎樣的懲戒，他們都會被遣送回國。

So, many continue onto a third country, but some stay and hide in China.

所以，有許多人會再轉往第三地，但有些人選擇躲藏並留在中國。

An estimated 200,000 North Koreans are believed to be secretly living in China today.

據估計，現今大約有 20 萬名北韓人偷偷地居住在中國。

Alternatively, many defectors seek asylum in South Korea.

另一方面，許多脫北者到南韓尋求庇護。

According to government estimates, roughly 29,000 North Koreans have resettled in the South since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

根據政府的估計，從 1953 年的韓戰至今，大約有 2 萬 9 千名北韓人在南韓安頓下來。

For decades, South Korea was very accommodating of these asylum seekers.

幾十年以來，南韓政府對這些尋找庇護的北韓人民都很寬容。

In the early 1960s, the country provided an allowance, stable employment and housing for defectors.

在 1960 年代前期，南韓政府提供脫北者津貼、穩定工作，以及居所。

But through a series of reforms in the 1990s, these privileges were curtailed, and in 2004 the South Korean government reduced financial aid for asylum seekers by nearly two-thirds.

但經過 1990 年代一系列的改革後，這些特權都被削減了，而在 2004 年，南韓政府對尋求庇護的脫北者的經濟援助減少了近 3 分之 2。

North Korea has accused the South of explicitly encouraging their citizens to defect.

北韓斥責南韓公開鼓勵他們的公民叛逃。

However, South Korea has denied such claims.

然而，南韓否認這些控訴。

Perhaps surprisingly, roughly 80% of North Korean defectors are women.

或許令人驚訝的是，大約有 80% 的脫北者都是女性。

A 2013 study found that women tend to suffer the most from poverty and economic hardship, one of the driving forces of emigration.

2013 年的一項研究指出，北韓女性往往是貧窮和經濟困難的最大受害者，這是迫使他們移民的推力之一。

Male defectors, on the other hand, cited political or ideological reasons for their defection.

另一方面，男性脫北者則是因為不認同政治或意識型態而逃脫。

Given all the reasons to flee North Korea, and all the risks defectors take to escape, it may come as a surprise that some end up voluntarily moving back.

綜觀所有脫北的原因，以及他們需承擔的風險，我們可能會對於自願歸國的逃離者感到驚訝。

These “double defectors” are known to return for a range of reasons.

這些「雙重歸順者」歸國的原因有很多。

Most commonly, feelings of marginalization and a lack of opportunity in their new country.

最普遍的原因就是在新國家感到被邊緣化並缺乏機會。

But returning is risky.

但回去是有風險的。

North Korea is known to punish escapees with years of hard labor in prison camps or execution.

北韓會懲罰所有的叛逃者，罰他們去監獄做苦工好幾年，或將他們處決。

However, in 2013, Kim Jong-Un announced that defectors will be welcomed back into the country, and in some cases even offered cash and an opportunity to share their experience on state-run TV.

然而，在 2013 年，金正恩宣布北韓歡迎脫北者回國，甚至對一些人提供金錢援助，並邀請他們上國家電視台分享經驗。

Ironically, many defectors in South Korea are already semi-celebrities, as they regularly appear on talk shows and reality TV.

諷刺的是，許多在南韓生活的脫北者都已經是半個名人了，因為他們常常出現在南韓的脫口秀及實境秀節目。

In the end, a defector’s fate largely depends on their destination.

最後，脫北者的命運絕大多取決於他們的目的地。

Countries that are culturally western, like the United States, Canada, and much of Europe, tend to be more accommodating than others.

西方國家，譬如美國、加拿大，以及歐洲大部分國家，往往比其他國家更加寬容。

But wherever North Korean defectors land, it’s probably better than where they came from.

但不論這些脫北者在哪裡重新立足，或許都比他們原生國家要好得多。

Many North Koreans defect because of massive food shortages, all while the country's leadership and elite live lavish lifestyles.

許多北韓人脫北的理由都是因為食物嚴重短缺，但領導階層卻吃香喝辣。

Who's really to blame for the country's food shortages? Find out in this video.

北韓食物短缺的問題，究竟應該歸咎於誰？從這個影片中找出解答吧。

By 2013, the country's food aid had dropped almost 20-fold.

到了 2013 年，這個國家的食物供給減少了 20 倍。

The United Nations reported in 2015 that 70% of North Koreans are food insecure.

聯合國 2015 年的報告指出，70% 的北韓人民缺乏糧食保障。

Thanks for watching SeekerDaily.

謝謝收看 SeekrDaily。

Don't forget to like and subscribe, so you get new videos from us everyday.

別忘了按讚和訂閱我們的頻道，以每天接收最新的影片通知。