I noticed the downplaying of the amount of defectors as well in the article. In my posting I emphasized the 10% increase while the Korea Times tried to portray this as a decrease.

Interesting point about the number of North Korean females being allowed in.

To say 2,809 North Koreans refugees crossed the border in 2008 to seek new lives in the South makes it sound like they came across the DMZ – when in fact only a tiny fraction of the North Koreans entering South Korea enter that way.

And to suggest the Chinese gov't cracking down on illegal immigration had anything to do with a decrease is pure BS. Tens of thousands of North Koreans have escaped out of North Korea. Most are in China – the others are in other Asian countries.

The ONLY thing stopping those who want to come to South Korea, but are not allowed to come, is the South Korean gov't itself. It doesn't have the resources to take in more than a few thousand a year.

Interestingly enough – the percentage of women allowed in is increasing year by year and women now make up a healthy majority. You don't suppose this has anything to do with the shortage of young women in South Korea caused by all the aborted female fetuses in the 1980s do you? Speculation on my part….but you can't help but wonder…..