A Study on Psychological Perceptions toward NORTH KOREAN Defector for PROTECTION

As the number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea has dramatically increased, various efforts have been made to settle them as members of the society. These days, the military is also positively considering military duties for North Korean defectors in line with current social movements. However, prejudice and a sense of distance towards North Korean defectors may act as negative factors in military operations. To solve this problem, the military needs to exert effort to lessen the prejudice and sense of distance towards North Ko-rean defectors, in preparation for the latter and their second generation in joining the army. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prejudice of army soldiers on North Korean defectors by exam-ining the effects of individual psychological traits(authoritarian personality, inclination to perfectionism, em-pathic ability) on prejudice(stereotypes, emotions, sense of social distance) towards North Korean defectors. A survey was carried out targeting four hundred soldiers from various units ranging from front to rear troops, representing the entire army. To summarize the results of this study, efforts are needed among the army in reducing their authoritarian personality, enhancing self-oriented perfectionism, and improving empathic ability to lessen the prejudice to-wards North Korean defectors. To do this, public advertisements and social programs(prejudice and stereotype mitigating program) must be created for soldiers to learn other cultures and positively embrace social minority groups. Through this study, the presentation of the policy making plan on recognition improvement towards North Korean defectors may be considered as an achievement.