"South Korea's Unification Ministry Implements Stricter Measures Towards North Korea"

The number of North Korean defectors reaching South Korea has significantly decreased in recent years, largely due to the pandemic and tightened border restrictions. Hanawon, a government-run center for newly arrived defectors, offers a 12-week resettlement and integration training program to help them adapt to their new lives in the South. However, with fewer defectors arriving, Hanawon has redirected resources to provide additional support and vocational training to those who have already completed the program. The Unification Ministry, responsible for overseeing Korean unification efforts, has undergone organizational changes and has a new, more hawkish leader, raising questions about its role and the future of inter-Korean relations. Additionally, public sentiment in South Korea towards unification has shifted, with a preference for "peaceful division" surpassing the desire for unification in a recent survey.