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Lee, Choi, Chung, and Min: Psychiatric Disorders of North Korean Defectors in South Korea : Four Case Report
Case Report
Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2012; 51(6): 445-457.

Published online: 30 November 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2012.51.6.445

Psychiatric Disorders of North Korean Defectors in South Korea : Four Case Report

Hwa-Young Lee, MD, Ji-Yeon Choi, MD, Yong-Ho Chung, MD, Sung Kil Min, MD, PhD

Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Sung Kil Min, MD, PhD. Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, 90 Baengnyeonsan-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul 122-913, Korea. Tel +82-2-300-8001, Fax +82-2-300-8099, skmin518@huhs.ac

Received 23 April 2012       Revised 8 May 2012       Accepted 18 May 2012

Copyright © 2012 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Abstract

Objectives

Cases of psychiatric disorders are reported with a review of literature on mental health problems in North Korean defectors in South Korea.

Methods

Four patients who were admitted to a psychiatric hospital with major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, or mixed disorder of conduct and emotions of adolescent were studied.

Results

The most common precipitating factor was the separation from close persons they had been dependent on. Defector-specific stress included unfamiliar culture of South Korea, lack of ability to adapt to South Korean society, uselessness of past education and professional skills, stress with regard to being identified or discriminated as a North Korean defector, and guilt feeling for leaving their family behind in North Korea. North Korean defector-specific clinical findings were noted; these included reluctance to expose themselves as North Koreans, negative emotional reaction to discrimination of South Korean neighbors, submissive and passive attitude, loneliness, anxiety for the future related to refugee status, and strong stigma related to psychiatry.

Conclusion

This case report suggests that an individualized or tailored treatment that considers their unique psychosocial situation, which especially focuses on discrimination and social support, is needed for North Korean defectors with mental disorders.

Keywords: North Korean defectors, Mental disorder, Schizophrenia, Major depression, Bipolar disorder, Conduct disorder

Notes

The author has no financial conflicts of interest.

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