한 북한이탈주민 여성의 내러티브를 통해 본 정착 서사

A Narrative Study on a North Korean woman defectors ‘Secured Settlement’Story

본 연구는 남한에서 자신의 영역을 만들며 안정적으로 정착한 한 탈북 여성의 삶의 과정과 경험에 대한 내러티브를 심층적으로 읽어내는 작업(thick description)을 목적으로 한다. 남한 사회로의 정착이 어떻게 이야기되며 무엇을 의미하는지에 주목하지만 이는 인생의 부침과 고비에서 어떤 더 넓은 맥락이 작용하고 영향을 미쳤는지 파악하는 맥락화를 통해 이루어진다. 연구 참여자의 삶의 이야기를 관통하는 잣대가 ‘안정’의 개념으로 파악되었고 인생의 전환점과 현재의 정체성을 표현하는 은유는 ‘애국가가 아닌 찬송가 부르기’로 나타났다. 내러티브에서 반복적으로 나타나고 강조되는 의미군들을 중심으로 북한이탈주민의 남한사회 적응 및 통합과 관련한 사회복지적 함의를 도출한다.

This study is an attempt to make an “in-depth description” and analysis of narratives of a North Korean woman defector. Most studies on North Korean defectors living in South Korea have focused on their maladjustment in both psychological and economic aspects. However, this study deals with a North Korean woman defector who has settled successfully(‘anjung”), achieving her own professional field as a minister in a Protestant Church. By analyzing her story through a phenomenological qualitative method, one can place her narratives into broad and varied contexts without losing sight of their complexity. By doing so, this study can explore aspects of survival, adaptation, and integration of North Korean defectors as a whole. The study speculates about the ways in which the subject portrays her story and the particular factors and events that she considers meaningful turning points in her life. According to her narrative, encountering Christianity turned out to be a seminal turning point. Christianity provided her with the basis for starting a new life and allowed her to overcome the traumas of her escape. Not a national anthem but the “singing of hymns” appears as an epiphany in her settlement narrative, opening up the possibility to her of a new identity in an era of globalization. Her entrepreneurship and enthusiasm for education took on a central role in giving her a sense of “secured settlement”. Her narratives of current issues and concerns center on her ministry to other North Korean defectors. Some significant elements in this part of narrative are pointed out and put into context. From them, some social work related implications can be drawn: For North Korean defectors, it is speculated, having a feeling of community membership is crucial for their overall adjustment and sense of well-being.