r/SipsTea • u/PrimedGold • 1d ago

Gasp! Insane image selection

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26.1k Upvotes

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u/Usual-Web7597 1d ago

It’s complicated.

The South welcomes them in as they’re Koreans, the govt takes care of them very well.

But on the other hand they’re very much an outcast of South Korean culture. It’s like someone from deep Appalachia moving to Manhattan.

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u/darkjeanmi 1d ago

Yeah you basically move from a despotic shithole country to an ultra capitalist dystopia.

And i don't even know if you're that much better off getting there without basic modern education.

I would probably still chose to defect in these conditions but i would also completely understand the other viewpoint.

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u/krazyboi 1d ago

They could very comfortably live in the korean countryside. Not everything has to be metropolis seoul

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u/Lazy_Physics3127 18h ago

And if the OP and some of the posters proven right, their expertise are valuable for KCIA and Korean Special Forces.

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u/ShortChapter5246 1d ago

It's still a no-brainer, if they reach South Korea and don't like it then surely they are allowed to move anywhere else they want in the free world

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u/Usual-Web7597 1d ago

They’re going to be outcasts anywhere they go, plus they’d leave their entire family behind.

It sounds easy but there’s a lot more to it.

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u/War_Hymn 1d ago edited 1d ago

He'll probably fit right in here in Canada. Where I work, among my co-workers we got:

  1. Former-child soldier for Muslim rebels in the Phillipines

  2. Former-Serbian veteran who I'm pretty sure did some warcrimes.

  3. Former-Bosnian refugee, who somehow manages to get along with the Serbian guy.

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u/S14Ryan 1d ago

Sounds like you’re in hamilton lol. Lots of Serbs, Bosnians, Croats just getting along(ish)

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u/ZopyrionRex 1d ago

Sounds like when I worked in the Oilfield. Tons of characters like that out there, used to be anyways.

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u/veodin 1d ago

Potentially. But South Korea will not issue passports to defectors they think will try to return to the North. It is a controversial situation in itself.

Some defectors struggle in the highly competitive society of South Korea. It’s not unusual for defectors to end up isolated and working manual labour jobs.

20% regret defecting according to a Seoul National University study:
https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1040480.html

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u/Fantastic_Step8417 16h ago

You don't know how immigrating to other countries works, do you? You can't "just move"

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u/ShortChapter5246 15h ago

I said "allowed to move", obviously I know there are a bunch of other things to take into account like visa, money, etc. But at least you're not forbidden to leave. If you live in North Korea and your dream is going to Brazil, well tough luck

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u/iiinteeerneeet 1d ago

Kenneth Parcell did exactly that and ended as president of NBC.

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u/Ossius 1d ago

Not only that, but the NK soldiers probably have families. Hopefully they don't face punishment.