Perceived Trajectories of Past, Present, and Future Life Satisfaction of North Korean Defectors

This study compared perceived trajectories of life satisfaction (LS) between North Korean defectors’ (NKDs’) and the general South Korean population and examined psychosocial factors associated with future LS. Data were obtained from 300 NKDs residing in South Korea and 5089 South Koreans using self-questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. LS values from 5 years ago (3.46 vs. 6.18) and at present (5.30 vs. 5.91) were lower in NKDs than the control group, but the inverse was true for expected LS score in 5 years (7.82 vs. 6.87). NKDs’ LS trajectory showed a more statistically positive trend than that of the control group. Among NKDs, subjective sense of loneliness and satisfaction with one’s sense of autonomy were associated with expected future LS. NKDs experience higher life satisfaction and expect an optimistic future relative to the control group. Social policies and therapeutic approaches to loneliness and improving a sense of autonomy may be beneficial.