| Keywords |
North Korean defectors; Human ecology; Housing and heating; Thermal underwear; Thermal perception |
| Abstract |
This study investigated the integrated living environments of North Korean residents through the experiences of North Korean defectors, focusing on generational (Arduous March generation, AMG vs.
Jangmadang generation, JMD), sex, and regional (Northern cold, NC; Ryanggang, North Hamgyong, and Jagang vs. Central?southern temperate, CT; Pyongyang, Hwanghae, Pyongan, Kangwon, and South Hamgyong) differences in food, clothing, and housing, as well as changes after migration to South Korea. A total of 183 respondents (50 males, 133 females; 121 AMG, 62 JMD; 133 NC, 50 CT) completed a structured retrospective questionnaire addressing body characteristics, diet, housing and heating conditions, clothing insulation, and thermal perception before and after migration. Body weight, BMI, and body surface area increased significantly after resettlement (all ps < 0.01), reflecting improved nutritional status. While living in North Korea, meal frequency and nutrient intake were higher in the CT than in the NC group, indicating regional disparities in food security. Among the AMG, males’ weight rose from 62.1±9.7 to 65.9±8.4 kg and females’ weight from 50.7± 7.2 to 57.4±12.7 kg after migration. NC respondents more often reported wood-fueled ondol heating and group sleeping as adaptive strategies in severe cold, while living in North Korea, whereas CT residents relied more on coal heating (p < 0.01). Indoor thermal underwear use during winter while in North Korea exceeded 80%, suggesting dependence on clothing insulation. The self-identified cold weather threshold increased by 11.0± 10.5°C, on average, after migration (p < 0.005), indicating loss of cold acclimatization. These findings provide the first empirical evidence reconstructing how North Koreans adapted to extreme cold, nutritional deprivation, and heating scarcity, offering essential data for health and housing policies toward future reunification. |