Seoul: A total of 224 North Korean defectors entered South Korea for resettlement last year, slightly down from the previous year, a unification ministry official said Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the 2025 figure includes 198 female defectors and 26 male defectors, bringing the cumulative number of North Korean defectors who have resettled in the South to 34,538. The inflow of defectors saw a significant decline during the COVID-19 pandemic due to Pyongyang's strict border controls. However, the numbers rebounded to 196 in 2023 and 236 in 2024.

The official noted that the inflow of North Korean defectors is expected to remain at similar levels in the future. This trend is attributed to defectors who have stayed in third countries, such as China, as temporary safe havens before making their way to South Korea.