Kim Jong Un’s Rule Leads to Biggest Surge in North Korean Defections

The number of people from North Korea’s “elite” who have defected to the South on Kim Jong Un’s watch is more than double the amount who defected under his father, former Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il. The number of North Koreans who defected to the South last year was 196—triple the previous year, but lower than pre-pandemic levels, according to Seoul’s Ministry of Unification. Many of them are considered so-called “elite” defectors, such as diplomats, overseas workers and military officials. South Korean newspaper The Chosun Daily on Thursday cited ministry data as saying that as many as 188 elite North…