Paju, South Korea – A building-sized North Korean flag waves from a tower on the de facto border with South Korea, marking territory that experts say has become nearly impossible to escape.
The combined total of North Koreans who reached South Korea in the past six years is less than the number that typically defected each year for decades — and appears to be declining further in 2026.
The main cause is leader Kim Jong Un’s aim to preserve his family dynasty by sealing the country off from the outside, keeping people in and information out, experts say.
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