The Role of NGOs in Settling North Korean Migrants into South Korean Society: Perceived Assistance and Realities

Abstract

This study examines non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) settlement assistance to North Korean migrants into South Korean society from 2006 to 2008. This paper argues that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and clients need to develop an effective partnership in which trust is deeply grounded. This will not only facilitate effective service delivery and satisfactory cooperation, but also increase the likelihood of future cooperation between NGOs and clients. NGOs’ settlement assistance to North Korean migrants in South Korea serves as a case study we developed from findings derived from in-depth interviews, which were conducted from November 2006 through June 2007, with follow-up conducted through August 2008. We draw to collaborative governance and trust theories that locate the development of public-private partnership and effectiveness of service provision to address a broader debate about the role of NGOs to mediate migrants’ settlement in a host society.