North Korean defectors feel large cultural differences between North and South early in their settlement, but what matters is not the difference itself — it is whether they cope by embracing South Korean culture.
North Korea-South Korea cultural heterogeneity in psychological perspective: Focusing on the North Korean defectors' adaptation
심리학적 관점에서의 남북한 문화이질성: 북한이탈주민의 심리적 적응을 중심으로
QUESTION
How does the North–South cultural difference that North Korean defectors perceive early in settlement affect their psychological adaptation, through their acculturation orientations and self-efficacy?
FINDINGS
In their early settlement in South Korea, North Korean defectors felt the cultural differences between North and South quite strongly.
북한이탈주민들은 정착 초기에 문화이질감을 상당히 많이 지각하는 것으로 드러났는데It was found that North Korean defectors perceive a considerable amount of cultural heterogeneity in the early stage of settlement…p1Rather than the feeling of difference itself, coping by leaning toward South Korean culture is what raised self-efficacy — the belief that one can handle things oneself.
남한 문화지향성을 중심으로 적절하게 대처하면 자기효능감을 높게 가질 수 있었으며When they coped appropriately, centered on a South Korean cultural orientation, they could have high self-efficacy…p1이 자체가 곧바로 문제는 아니며, 이에 대한 대처의 전략으로서 남한 문화지향성을 얼마나 구사하느냐가가 더 중요하다…this in itself is not directly a problem; what matters more is how much one uses a South Korean cultural orientation as a coping strategy…p1Low self-efficacy did not lower life satisfaction, but it could come with a tendency toward depression.
자기효능감이 낮은 경우에는 생활만족도가 낮아지지는 않겠지만 우을증적 경향을 보일 수 있다Those with low self-efficacy may not have lower life satisfaction, but they can show a depressive tendency.p18Of the 53 people in the low overall self-efficacy group, 23 (43.4%) scored at a level classified as a depressive-symptom group.
해당자 53명 중 23명(43.4%)이 2.05를 넘어서 우을중상군으로 분류되었다Of the 53 people in that group, 23 (43.4%) exceeded 2.05 and were classified into the depressive-symptom group.p19전체 자기효능감의 경우, 해당자 53명 중 23명(43.4%)이For overall self-efficacy, 23 of the 53 people concerned (43.4%)…p19IN DAILY LIFE
In Korean society, official statements can be undercut by informal ways of talking such as “Aren't we family here?” (uri-ga nami-ga, 우리가 남이가) or “Just between us…” (urikkiri yaegin-de, 우리끼리 얘긴데) — a point cited from earlier work.
공식적 언사를 “우리가 남이가” 혹은 “우리끼리 얘긴데”와 같은 방식의 커뮤니케이션이 무력화시킬 수 있다Communication like “Aren't we one of us?” or “This is just between us” can neutralize official statements.p7한국 사회가 공식적 커뮤니케이션이 비공식적 커뮤니케이선에 의해 식민화되어 있다고 지적했다…pointed out that in Korean society formal communication is colonized by informal communication.p7In depth
This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.
Background
With the number of North Korean defectors arriving in the South rising sharply and North–South contact increasing, the debate over cultural heterogeneity between the two Koreas — raised in every unification discussion — could no longer be put off.
북한이탈주민이 남한에 입국하는 수가 급증하고 있고The number of North Korean defectors entering South Korea is increasing rapidly…p2남북한의 통일을 논할 때마다 거의 빠짐없이 등장하는 것이What appears almost without fail whenever unification of the two Koreas is discussed…p2양측 주민들의 접촉 빈도가 하루가 다르게 많아지고 있으며…the frequency of contact between residents of both sides is increasing day by day…p2이 이질성 논란이 가급적 빨리 해결되어야 한다…this heterogeneity debate should be resolved as soon as possible.p2Reviewing past debates, the authors find it most reasonable to see North and South as quite different in institutions and ideology, yet sharing much in human relationships and everyday life.
제도적이고 이념적인 측면에서는 이질성이 많다고 보고, 반면에, 인간관계, 일상적 측면에서는 동질성을 많이 공유…to regard institutional and ideological aspects as highly heterogeneous, while human relationships and everyday aspects share much homogeneity.p6Method
A survey of North Korean defectors, testing with regression the path: perceived cultural difference → acculturation orientation → self-efficacy → psychological adaptation (life satisfaction, depression).
최종적으로 181명(남자 102명, 여자 79명)이 분석에 포함되었다In the end, 181 people (102 men, 79 women) were included in the analysis.p10회귀분석조합에 의한 매개변인분석을 하였…a mediator analysis using a combination of regression analyses was conducted…p12북한이탈주민의 심리적 문화적응 지향성이 문화이질감과 자기효능감에 매개효과를 보이는가Does defectors' psychological acculturation orientation mediate between cultural heterogeneity and self-efficacy?p10심리적 문화적응 지향성과 심리적 적응지표인 생활만족도와 우을감에 매개효과…a mediating effect between psychological acculturation orientation and the psychological adaptation indicators of life satisfaction and depression…p10수도권에 거주하고 있는 북한이탈주민들을 변형된 스노우…North Korean defectors living in the Seoul metropolitan area were sampled using a modified snow[ball method]…p10북한이탈주민들이 정착 초기 3개월 이내에 북한 문화와 남한 문화를 비교해서…defectors compared North and South Korean culture within the first three months of settlement…p11'1점 = 전혀 다르지 않다'에서 '5점 = 많이 다르다'의 5점 척도로 응답하도록 하였다…answered on a 5-point scale from '1 = not different at all' to '5 = very different'.p11식습관, 감정 표현 방식, 사고방식, 어투, 차림새(의모 스타일), 가치관, 대인관계 양식, 취미…eating habits, ways of expressing emotion, ways of thinking, speech, appearance (style), values, interpersonal style, hobby…p11적응 수준은 다음과 같은 이유로 자기효능감과 생활만족도로 측정하였다For the following reasons, adaptation was measured by self-efficacy and life satisfaction.p9Detailed findings
How much difference people felt did not vary by gender, whether they came with family, socioeconomic status in the North, or age at arrival.
인구통계학적 변인들에서는 유의미한 차이가 발견되지 않았다No significant differences were found across demographic variables.p11성별, 가족 동반 입국 여부별, 북한 내 사회경제적 지위, 도착 연령대별 변인과 같은…such as gender, whether they entered with family, socioeconomic status in North Korea, and age group at arrival…p11It also did not vary by how long they had been settled in the South — meaning most defectors perceive cultural differences.
정착경과기간별로 분석해 보았는데, 역시 유의미한 차이가 발견되지 않았다We also analyzed by length of settlement, and again no significant difference was found.p11이러한 결과가 시사하는 바는 남한에 입국하는 대부분의 북한이탈주민들이 남북한 문화의What these results suggest is that most North Korean defectors entering South Korea [come to perceive] the [differences] of North and South Korean culture…p11The more difference people felt, the slightly stronger their tendency to embrace South Korean culture — but it was almost unrelated to the tendency to keep North Korean culture.
남북한 문화이질감은 북한 문화지향성과는 거의 무상관인데, 남한 문화지향성과는 낮지만 유의미한 정적 상관을 보였다Perceived North–South cultural heterogeneity was almost uncorrelated with North Korean cultural orientation, but showed a low yet significant positive correlation with South Korean cultural orientation.p12A stronger South Korean cultural orientation went with lower depression, but had no meaningful relation to life satisfaction.
남한 문화지향성은 생활만족도에는 유의미한 영향을 미치지 않고, 우울감에만 부적인 유의미한 영향을 미치는 것으로 드러났다South Korean cultural orientation had no significant effect on life satisfaction, and a significant negative effect only on depression.p14Those using a “separation” strategy — keeping North Korean culture and not accepting South Korean culture — had the highest overall and general self-efficacy.
북한문화를 고수하고 남한문화를 수용하지 않겠다고 하는 경우가 전체 자기효능감과 일반적 자기효능감에서 제일 높았Those who hold on to North Korean culture and say they will not accept South Korean culture were highest in overall and general self-efficacy.p15The marginalization strategy — accepting neither culture and “living my own way” — was lowest in every area of self-efficacy.
'자기방식대로 살겠다는 식의 경우는 모든 자기효능감 영역에서 제일 낮았Those of the “I'll live my own way” type were lowest in every area of self-efficacy.p16The “integration” strategy — keeping North Korean culture while also accepting South Korean culture — was in the middle in every area of self-efficacy.
통합 전략 즉, 북한문화를 유지하면서 남한문화를 수용하겠다는 경우는 모든 자기효능감 영역에서 중간 수준을 보였다The integration strategy, that is, keeping North Korean culture while accepting South Korean culture, showed a middle level in every area of self-efficacy.p16The low self-efficacy group had the highest depression, while the middle and high groups had lower depression.
전체 자기효능감과 일반적 자기효능감에서 저집단은 우을감이 제일 높았고In overall and general self-efficacy, the low group had the highest depression…p16저집단은 우을감이 제일 높았고, 중간 집단과 고집단은 우울감이 낮았다…the low group had the highest depression, and the middle and high groups had low depression.p16Authors’ interpretation
The results show that “difference” itself is not the problem; the will to overcome it matters more — so the debate over whether North–South cultural heterogeneity is large or small has limited meaning.
'차이' 자체가 문제가 아니라 이를 '극복하려는 의지가 더 중요함을 보여주는 것…shows that “difference” itself is not the problem; the will to overcome it is more important.p17남북한 문화이질성이 크다 작다는 논란 그 자체가 가지는 의미가 제한됨을 보여주는 것이다…shows that the debate itself over whether North–South cultural heterogeneity is large or small has limited meaning.p17The separation strategy may have worked surprisingly well because some defectors, afraid of being emotionally hurt, settle inside the fence of North Korean culture.
자신들이 심리적으로 상처를 받을 것을 두려워서 북한문화라는 울타리 인에 안주하려는 경향…a tendency to settle within the fence of North Korean culture, fearing they would be psychologically hurt.p18분리 전략을 사용하는 것이 더 유효하다는 점이 드러났다. 이러한 것은 다소 의외의 결과라고 볼 수도 있지만…it emerged that using the separation strategy is more effective. This may be seen as a somewhat unexpected result, but…p17Unlike for other immigrants, integration only reached a middle level — the authors suspect this is because stereotypes and prejudice about North Korea are still largely negative in the South, so keeping North Korean culture may not be viewed kindly.
아직도 남한에서는 북한과 관련된 각종 고정관념, 편견, 이미지가 부정적인 면이 크기 때문…because in South Korea various stereotypes, prejudices, and images related to North Korea are still largely negative.p18통합전략을 구사하는 것과 바람직한 심리적 적용 간의 관계가 높은 것으로 드러나는데…[for other immigrants] the relationship between using an integration strategy and desirable psychological adaptation is found to be high…p18남한 주민들이 이를 바람직하게 보지 않을 가능성도 크고…it is quite possible that South Koreans would not view this favorably…p18Limits the authors note
Because defectors could not be reached before or right after entering the South, the study focused on what they perceived early in their settlement.
북한이탈주민들을 남한에 입국하기 전과 입국 초기에 접촉할 수 없다는 점 때문에 정착 초기에 지각한 내용을 중심으로 파악하였다Because North Korean defectors cannot be contacted before entering South Korea or in the early period after entry, the study focused on what they perceived in the early settlement period.p19Cultural difference was treated in broad terms and not examined in specific situations.
남북한 문화이질감을 포괄적으로 다루었는데, 이를 좀 더 구체적인 상황에서 확인하지 못했다North–South cultural heterogeneity was treated comprehensively, and could not be examined in more specific situations.p19Key terms
Cultural heterogeneity vs. perceived cultural difference (문화적 이질성 / 문화적 이질감) “Heterogeneity” (ijilseong, 이질성) is the objective cultural difference at the group level; “perceived difference” (ijilgam, 이질감) is the cultural difference an individual subjectively feels.
'문화적 이질감' 은 개인 차원에서 지각하는 것이므로 주관적 측면이 강한 것“Perceived cultural difference” is perceived at the individual level, so it is strongly subjective.p8'문화적 이질성'은 집단 차원에서 말하는 것으로서 객관적 측면이 강한데'Cultural heterogeneity' refers to the group level and is strongly objective, whereas…p8Self-efficacy (자기효능감) Belief in one's own ability to exercise control over everyday events and one's own functioning.
일상사의 사건과 자기 자신의 기능 수준에 대해 통제력을 행사하는 자신의 능력에 대한 신념Belief in one's ability to exercise control over everyday events and one's own level of functioning.p9Cultural duality (문화 이중성) A marked mismatch between explicit norms on the surface — laws, rules, institutions — and the implicit norms and principles of behavior that work out of sight.
겉으로 드러나 있는 명시적 규범 즉, 법, 규칙, 제도 등의 구조와 겉으로 잘 드러나지 않고 진행되는…the structure of explicit norms visible on the surface, such as laws, rules, and institutions, and [the implicit norms] that operate without showing on the surface…p6암묵적 규범이나 행동 원리 간에 상당한 불일치를 보이는 것…showing considerable inconsistency with implicit norms or principles of behavior.p7