Economist R.Shinegerel shared his opinion about the current economic situation in the following interview.

The government always talks about developing rural areas. How favorable is the local business environment for new businesses? Have the indicators generally improved, such as markets, investment, and regional competitiveness in rural areas?

Our country is not very friendly to new businesses. A favorable policy environment for start-up business in cities and rural areas has not yet been created. Pressure from the government, taxes, social security, fees, and contributions do not give businesses a chance to grow. Compared to other countries, we have to see if there is an environment where small businesses can stand on their feet and expand. Today, our country has a very tough and difficult situation. That’s why the business does not grow, or cannot develop stably and steadily. Most of them are unable to pass the first stage. Support and ancillary services should be provided to villages that are based on intensive animal husbandry or near newly operating mines. There may also be some opportunities in tourism.

Recently, people have been going abroad a lot to work and live. For example, some of them sell their business and leave to live in a foreign country for a long time. What do you think is the main reason for this?

In a country like Mongolia where development is slow, where corruption and bureaucracy is rampant, where the state has attacked the values and dignity of individuals, two types of human resources flee from their countries. This is confirmed by economic theory and research. First, young people go abroad a lot. It is said that the largest core part of the labor market is leaving. We are losing young people. Today, many young people are ready to go to Australia, the USA, and South Korea to work. Second, the most highly skilled and specialized workers are recruited by such countries. This phenomenon is quite common, and to that extent it is very harmful to the development of the country. It takes a lot of time to build such a highly skilled workforce. Young people who are engaged in business are going abroad as well. This is very sad news. People who create wealth are leaving like this, and a “tough” situation is emerging in our labor market. The lack of human resources has already started. Labor productivity is declining in both the public and private sectors. People themselves are capital. The beginning of the country’s change is people. However, the fact that people were not appreciated and neglected is manifested in this way today. A country will develop if people develop. A rich citizen means a rich country. So, losing our most creative part is a big risk. It is necessary to quickly investigate and find out why this is happening with such intensity, and take immediate measures. Most of them should not be left like that. The state and government policies should also be aimed at this issue. The state’s involvement in business and economy has increased too much, and the state itself has turned into a business competitor. With a “big” government, the door to corruption will not be closed. These are the factors that have the biggest negative impact.

The state bureaucracy is invincible. The index of economic freedom also decreased. The biggest influence is corruption in the government. Property rights, free investment, and the financing environment also scored low. If the state does not reduce its excessive involvement in business, it will turn into a state economy, not based on the private sector. Politicization also affects the above situation. We will reduce this flow by staunchly supporting the free market and by making the big government smaller and more productive.

Inequity is a major social frustration, and the income gap is widening. This is probably one of the reasons why people go abroad, right?

Yes. This is another big factor. When the support of the party and the region comes first, the value of spirituality and knowledge is lost. It has been many years since this unfair space started. No one wants to live with injustice. Unfortunately, this situation has become too widespread.

You said that the high level of government involvement has a negative impact even on the labor market. Can you elaborate on this?

A huge sector of state-owned business has emerged. There is no governance. There are no qualified and professional human resources. There is no transparency, plans and targets are not realistic. Party appointments are served there. Because of this, people have to leave their country. The government itself has put its people in such a difficult situation. It leads to such a choice. For many years, we have been talking about losses in the public service, not economic efficiency. Most of them are not driven by business principles, but by political goals, and only some mining companies are operating profitably. More than 90 percent of the rest have lost production for almost the last 30 years. Today there are more than 100 state-owned companies. Their debts and loans have increased year by year, and there is no accountability system. An unhealthy system has been created.

Ulaanbaatar will operate a coal mine. The mayor says that the city’s problems will be solved with the profits. Is that correct? Is this a sign that the government is trying to do business by itself, not the private sector?

This is the biggest example of the state trying to do business today, which is tragic and deviated from the path chosen in 1990. This is a sign of going back to the old days. Is Ulaanbaatar running out of money? No. The city has enough money, sources of money, and resources. Many enterprises operate in the capital and collect taxes. A legal framework has also been created. Power has expanded. But what is missing in the city is proper management. Running a coal business is an impossible “stupidity”. Today, our country is not moving forward, it is going backwards.

The livelihoods of the people are deteriorating day by day. How well is the budget and monetary policy implemented? How would you rate macroeconomic policy today? Can you express your opinion on how to raise the declining livelihood of the family?

The weakening of tugrug has the biggest impact on today’s price increase. Last year, the exchange rate of the USD was 2,800 MNT, but today it is about 3,500 MNT. It is impossible to see what caused the devaluation of tugrug. The government does not want to see it. This situation is likely to continue. Too flattened welfare destroys the interest to work. The lack of care for the target group and the massive distribution of worthless money in the market ultimately leads to an endless crisis. The independence of monetary policy has been lost. Budget deficit, external and internal debt burden have brought today’s economy to such a difficult situation. If we don’t review our macroeconomic policy, listen to the opinions of academics, and make realistic conclusions, we are going to get even deeper into a dead end. Today’s government is questioning whether macroeconomic policies are in place.

The Ministry of Economy and Development was newly established. It’s the old structure that was set up before. How do you see the ministry working in today’s difficult economic environment?

A large ministry was formed in terms of rights and duties. This shows that not only the Ministry of Finance, but also the prime minister has reached the same level of power and influence, and in some cases, their activities are overlapping and contradictory. The first “work” from this ministry has not yet been produced. It is not clear what “product” to release, and it seems that the process is going on only to understand its duties. Big programs and development policies such as “Vision-2050” and New Revival Policy are being discussed. Investments are required to implement these. So far, no major reforms are in sight. If we don’t eliminate government intervention in business, our development path is still blocked. Also, if the state intervenes in the economy of every company and household, it will not change the interest in working and productivity, it will only worsen. The work of the Ministry of Economy and Development should begin with the reduction of government involvement. It starts with sorting out and cutting out the flattened care and welfare. It should only go to those who need it. Big behavioral and psychological decisions need to be made. Household income goes through the government in the form of welfare, not as a job or salary, and the benefits are not visible. This situation has continuously led the society for more than 10 years. If this is the case, even if there are 10,000 Tavan Tolgoi mines, the current situation will not change.

National Statistics Office (NSO) gave following statistical information regarding the first four months.

The total state budget income and aid, as of April, reached 7.1 trillion MNT in preliminary records.

According to the Head of the NSO, D.Baasan, this is an increase of 1.8 trillion MNT or 34.9 percent from the same period last year. However, the balanced income reached 6.7 trillion MNT, an increase of 39.4 percent compared to the same period last year. The total expenditure of the unified state budget and the total amount of repayable net loans amounted to 5.6 trillion MNT, and the balanced balance showed a profit of 1.1 trillion MNT.

In the first four months of this year, Mongolia traded with 134 countries, and the foreign trade turnover was 7.7 billion USD, of which 5.1 billion was exported and 2.7 billion USD was imported.

Total turnover increased by 50 percent, exports by 81.8 percent, and imports by 310.5 million USD compared to the same period of the previous year. However, in April of this year, exports decreased by 199 million USD, and imports by 20.2 million USD compared to the previous month.

The foreign trade balance in the first four months showed a surplus of 2.4 billion USD, an increase of 5.4 times compared to the same period of the previous year.

According to the National Statistics Office, trade with China in these months amounted to 5.7 billion USD, which is 74.2 percent of the total turnover of foreign trade. Coal accounted for 64 percent of goods exported to China, copper concentrate accounted for 18 percent, while gold accounted for 99.9 percent of goods exported to Switzerland. in the mentioned period, exports increased by 2.3 billion USD compared to the same period last year, mainly due to the increase of 2 billion USD in coal, 67 million USD in canned meat products, 48.5 million USD in iron ore and concentrates, 44.2 million USD in horse meat, and 41.5 million USD in fluorspar ore and concentrates.

In April, the average border price of gold increased by 3,000 USD per kilogram, the average border price of iron ore and concentrate increased by four USD per ton, while the average border price of copper concentrate decreased by 73.5 USD per ton, and the average border price of coal decreased by 10 USD per ton. In April, the physical volume of coal exports reached 5.5 million tons, which is 0.7 million tons less than the previous month.

Mongolia conducted trade mostly with China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, the USA, and Germany. Petroleum products accounted for 71.7 percent of goods imported from Russia, passenger cars accounted for 67 percent of goods imported from Japan, and trucks accounted for 10.5 percent of goods imported from China.

Imports increased by 310.5 million USD compared to the same period of the previous year. The reason for the increase was, diesel fuel increased by 127.7 million USD, trucks by 79 million USD, bulldozers, levelers, and excavators by 28.1 million USD, public transport vehicles by 21.7 million USD, new tires by 21.2 million USD, and passenger cars by 20.2 million USD.

Exports of mineral products, precious stones, metals, jewelry and textile products account for 93.6 percent of total exports, while 76.7 percent of imports are mineral products, machinery and equipment, electrical appliances, vehicles, their parts, basic metals and products made from them, and ready-to-eat foods.

Monthly household income decreased by 47,500 MNT

According to the results of the first quarter of 2023, the average monthly income of the household was 1.9 million MNT, which increased by 101,100 MNT from the same period of the previous year, and by 39,900 MNT from the previous quarter.

The average real monthly income of one household, or the price-adjusted amount, reached 1.2 million MNT in the first quarter of this year, which is a drop of 47,500 MNT compared to the same period last year. However, this figure is an increase of 13,500 from the preceding quarter.

According to the report, the reason for the drop in real total income was caused by the decrease of 52,600 MNT in real income from pensions and allowances.

In addition, the average monthly cash income of the household reached 1.8 million MNT in the first quarter of 2023, which increased by 134,300 MNT from the same period last year.

As of the first quarter, 59.2 percent of the average income of a household with a cash income of 500,000 to 900,000 MNT per month is generated by pensions and allowances.

Apartment prices in UB grew by 10%

Apartment prices in Ulaanbaatar increased by 9.9 percent in April this year and by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month.

According to the data of the National Statistics Office, in April, the average price per square meter of a new apartment was 3.53 million MNT, and the highest value was 3.84 million MNT in Khan-Uul district. However, the average price per square meter of an old apartment was 3.34 million MNT, and the highest price was 4.17 million MNT in Chingeltei district.

Workforce dropped by 4%

As of the first quarter of the year, 1.2 million of the total population aged 15 and over are in the labor force and 916,500 are out of the labor force.

From the work force, 93.4 percent or 1.1 million are employees. This number decreased by 47,000 or 4.1 percent from the previous quarter. The NSO reported that the number of unemployed people decreased by 25,600, while the population outside the labor force increased by 23,600.

Chief statistician of the NSO’s Policy and Foreign Relations Department S.Norov clarified that labor statistics are obtained from the Labor Force Survey results of the NSO.

The US Forest Service has told a federal court it is not sure when it could approve a land swap allowing Rio Tinto Plc to develop the Resolution Copper mine in Arizona, a surprising reversal that boosts several Native American groups opposed to the project.

The complex case involves a long-running conflict between a mining company hoping to supply more than a quarter of US copper demand for the green energy transition and Indigenous groups seeking to preserve Arizona’s Oak Flat campground, a site of religious importance that would be destroyed by the mine’s construction.

In 2014, the US Congress approved a land swap that required an environmental report to be published, which former President Donald Trump’s administration did shortly before leaving office. President Joe Biden unpublished that report in March 2021 to give his administration time to review concerns from Native Americans, though he was not able to permanently block the mine.

The case has wound its way through several courts. Joan Pepin, an attorney for the Forest Service, told judges during a March hearing the report would be republished “this spring.”

Rumors have swirled in recent weeks that the Biden administration was on the verge of re-publishing that report, and several Rio executives made plans to travel to Arizona next week.

Late Thursday night, though, Pepin sent a letter to the court saying government officials were still meeting with Native American tribes.

“The department has not yet identified a timeframe for completing its review,” Pepin said.

Neither Pepin nor other US Forest Service officials could be reached for additional comment.

Previously, officials had said they would alert the court at least 60 days before re-publishing the report. Once re-published, officials would have an additional 60 days to transfer the land to Rio Tinto.

Rio Tinto said it would continue to try to talk with tribes and believes there is significant local support for the mine. “Our team is ready to advance the project in collaboration with Native American tribes, local communities, and labor,” said Vicky Peacey, general manager of the Resolution project.

BHP Group Ltd, which is helping Rio develop the mine, declined to comment.

“It’s quite unusual for the government to have to take back something their attorney told the court under questioning,” said Luke Goodrich of Becket Law, a religious liberty legal group involved in the case.

Representatives for the San Carlos Apache tribe have vowed that if they lose, they will appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court.

“There is overwhelming opposition in Indian Country to the Resolution mine and that will not change,” said Terry Rambler, San Carlos Apache tribal chairman.

Local officials who support the project said they were angered by Pepin’s letter.

“Every time there’s another delay to this process means that investors in our community may decide this isn’t the place to invest because the federal government can’t make up its mind,” said Mila Besich, the Democratic mayor of Superior, a town of 2,500 that abuts the mine site.

(By Ernest Scheyder; Editing by David Gregorio)

Under the auspices of the President of Mongolia, the 23rd Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) commenced today in Ulaanbaatar as a significant event held under the framework of the "Years to Visit Mongolia" initiative.

The inception of the APhO dates back to 2000 when it was initially organized in Indonesia. Following a successful organization in 2008, Mongolia is proud to undertake this responsibility for the second time after 15 years.

During the opening of the Olympiad, President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh of Mongolia expressed the nation's profound respect for science and scholars. He emphasized the Asian Physics Olympiad as a platform for brilliant students to compete, connect, and exchange knowledge and experiences.

President Khurelsukh highlighted the significance of an Olympiad as fostering friendships among outstanding students, inspiring individuals, generating interest in science among young people, and nurturing future leaders. He wished every participant resounding success in the Asian Physics Olympiad.

During the inaugural ceremony, Minister L. Enkh-Amgalan from the Ministry of Education and Sciences expressed the host country's objectives for the Olympiad. These include assessing the quality of physics education, nurturing young talents in physics, facilitating professional advancement opportunities, fostering cultural understanding, and promoting Mongolian heritage.

The Minister emphasized that the Olympiad serves as a platform to enhance Mongolia's international presence and reputation. Additionally, he announced that physics equipment created by Mongolian scientists specifically for the Asian Physics Olympiad will later be utilized in over 300 secondary schools. Furthermore, he underscored that physics equipment will be provided to more than 600 secondary schools.

President of the Asian Physics Olympiad, Leong Chuan Kwek, said, “I am grateful and glad that Mongolia has decided, this time round, to organize this year's Olympiad face-to-face. APhO is less about getting top honors and more about friendship. Friends who you will establish now and meet years later. I am therefore hoping that you will take this rare opportunity to establish new connections and introduce your own culture. At the end of the day, we are all mere Earthlings.”

The Asian Physics Olympiad is more prestigious and competitive than the International Physics Olympiad because of the high ranking of the competitors. A total of 29 teams from 27 countries, including two teams from Mongolia, are participating in this Olympiad. The Republic of Bulgaria and Malaysia are participating as observers. For more information regarding the Olympiad visit:

In late February of this year, Mongolian foreign minister invited about 40 female foreign ministers to attend a meeting in Ulaanbaatar from 29-30 June. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was also invited. However, North Korea has yet to respond to whether Choe will attend the meeting, according to people familiar with the matter.

The meeting will celebrate the growing role of women in Mongolia’s foreign policy circles. The Conference of Female Foreign Ministers began to be organized as a more formal meeting since 2018. In September 2018, Canadian and the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy organized the world’s first meeting of female foreign ministers in Montreal, attended by representatives from 17 countries.

In 1998, Mongolia appointed a woman as foreign minister for the first time. Since then, Mongolia has had three female foreign ministers, including B.Battsetseg. In 2001, Mongolia appointed its first female ambassador and sent her to Belgium.

Choe Son Hui became North Korea’s first female foreign minister on June 11, 2022. In 2017, South Korea had appointed its first female foreign minister, Kang Kyung-hwa.

(source: Diplomat)

Both Kazakhstan and Mongolia have long published maps showing their national territories extending into Russia, Aleksey Baliyev says; but now the two countries appear set on developing new rail links that could undermine the Trans-Siberian railway and even subvert Russian control of the Altai, an important source of Russia’s mineral wealth.

Since 2003, the two Central Asian countries have had an international coordinating council called “Our Common Home – the Altai” but it has engaged primarily in promoting tourism and cooperation in the scholarly investigation of the region adjoining the two countries.

But recently Astana and Ulan Bator held a joint conference of this group which suggested the two countries have a larger agenda that could involve the development of a new transport route and that this is not some pie-in-the-sky plan but a project that appears to have the support of China.

Not surprisingly, this has set off alarm bells in the Russian capital because Kazakhstan, Mongolia and possibly China now appear committed to a project that will affect Russian territory and to do so on their own without any involvement of their Russian partners who expect to be consulted by such “partners.”

The latest example of this concern is a lengthy article by Moscow commentator Aleksey Baliyev for the portal directed at the military-industrial sector of the Russian economy, one that has key interests in the mines of the Altai region and republic in the Russian Federation.

According to Baliyev, Kazakhstan and Mongolia want to build a rail route through the Russian Altai to connect their two countries more directly than now. At present, they have to send goods north into the Russian interior and then have those goods shipped back along another track to their destination.

Such a route, which the Russian commentator says China likely supports, would have a negative impact on Russian railways and could have the effect of allowing the three countries involved to trade bypassing Russia and thus escaping sanctions problems.

“It isn’t hard to understand that if this route is built, it will de facto become a southern duplicate of the West Siberian sector of the Trans-Siberian” and even become the basis of Kazakhstan or Mongolian claims to Russian territory. After all, Baliyev says, some Kazakhs are already pushing to rename portions of Eastern Kazakhstan the Altyn Altai.

BY Paul Goble

Paul Goble is a longtime specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia. Most recently, he was director of research and publications at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Earlier, he served as vice dean for the social sciences and humanities at Audentes University in Tallinn and a senior research associate at the EuroCollege of the University of Tartu in Estonia. He has served in various capacities in the U.S. State Department, the Central Intelligence Agency and the International Broadcasting Bureau as well as at the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Goble maintains the Window on Eurasia blog and can be contacted directly at paul.goble@gmail.com .

Upon the official talks of the Presidents of Mongolia and France at the State Palace and exchange of views on relations and cooperation between the two countries, the Presidents briefed the media. We present the full transcript of President U. Khurelsukh’s speech:

"Honorable President Emmanuel Macron,

Dear Press representatives,

Good evening to all of you.

I have held official talks with President of France Emmanuel Macron, who is on a State Visit to Mongolia. It is concluded that the official talks have been highly significant and effective. Mongolia considers France as our third neighbor and a close and trusted partner in Europe. Our two countries established diplomatic relations in 1965, but the historical relationship between Mongolia and France dates back to the 13th century. For example, in 1253, Rubruk, a messenger who was appointed by the order of King Louis IX of France, came to Kharkhorum of the Mongol Empire to meet the great Khaan. His notes on the travels through the Mongol Empire are famous worldwide. A silver tree made by French artist Wilhelm Bouchied in the royal palace of Kharkhorum city was mentioned in the notes, which proves that the relationship between our two countries has a long history.

France has consistently supported our country since our applying for membership in the United Nations and recognized Mongolia's independence. France is one of the countries that has supported in all respects the democratic changes and reforms that have taken place in our country since the 1990s. The state visit of President of France Emmanuel Macron to Mongolia is historic, for being the first visit of Head of State of France in the history of relations and cooperation between our two countries.

Honorable President, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you on behalf of the people of Mongolia.

During the official talks, we engaged in a thorough exchange of views on the bilateral relations and cooperation between Mongolia and France, as well as pressing issues of international relations. We earnestly conveyed our firm commitment to diligently collaborate in fostering global peace and security.

Furthermore, we discussed advancing the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries, with the overarching objective of attaining a strategic partnership. Within the framework of Mongolia's partnership and cooperation agreement with the European Union, augmenting trade and economic collaboration with France, fostering increased investment, and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation are recognized as pivotal strategies and objectives of our country's foreign policy.

During the meeting and talks, the Heads of State affirmed to jointly implement mutually beneficial and strategic projects, which symbolize the relations between the two countries, and further expand the relations in agriculture, energy, environment, health, disaster management, culture, education, communication and science sectors.

Within the framework of fulfilling the commitment under Paris Agreement to combat climate change the two sides agreed to cooperate in renewable energy and nuclear energy fields. We also agreed on the joint realization of Mongolia's national satellite program in conjunction with France.

We have reached an agreement to cooperate by synergizing the "One Billion Trees" National Campaign, which was initiated by the President of Mongolia, with the aim of addressing climate change and mitigating the adverse effects of greenhouse gas emissions and French initiatives put forth by the President of France during the One Forest Summit.

In accordance with the overarching goal of "Food Supply and Security," a mutual agreement has been reached to provide substantial backing to foster export oriented production of food and agricultural products. Additionally, concerted efforts will be made to prepare professionals in the domains of intensive animal husbandry, food, and biotechnology and to introduce a new technologies and know-how.

The exhibition titled "How Chinggis Khan Changed the World" will be presented at the National History Museum of France in October of this year. Gratitude was expressed to the French Government for its support and collaboration in making this event possible.

During our discussions on international relations and multilateral cooperation, a wide range of topics were addressed, including making contribution to UN peacekeeping operations to foster sustainable development, to prosperity founded on human rights and democratic principles, the promotion of feminist foreign policy and expanding the cooperation of the two countries to achieve common national and global objectives such as prevention of weapons of mass destruction proliferation, and the fight against terrorism.

I extended congratulations to the people of France, who will be hosting the upcoming "Paris-2024" Summer Olympic Games, and wished them great success. The joint declaration issued by Mongolia and France, which is based on our talks and mutually agreed-upon matters during this state visit, is perceived as a momentous document of historical significance, poised to elevate future cooperation between our two countries to a new level.

Dear President, I extend my sincere wishes for the well-being and prosperity to you and the people of France. May the bilateral relations between our countries continue to thrive and flourish."

Mongolia detained four North Koreans this month for illegally entering the country, immigration authorities announced Wednesday, in a rare press release from a country that usually helps defectors by allowing them to travel elsewhere once they cross the border.

“On the 10th of May, four citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were found illegally crossing from the People’s Republic of China to our country,” the General Authority for Border Protection stated in a press release that has since been deleted from its website.

“These individuals have been transferred to legal facilities,” the agency added.

The border authority did not specify whether the North Koreans intended to defect and Mongolian authorities did not respond to an NK News question about whether they will be repatriated to the DPRK.

Mongolia is about 500 miles (800 km) from North Korea and is a known destination for North Koreans seeking to defect. Separating the two countries is China, which arrests defectors as “economic migrants” and sends them back.

If Mongolia repatriates the DPRK nationals to North Korea, they will likely be “subjected to torture and ill-treatment, forced labor and gender-based violence,” according to the U.N. special envoy for DPRK human rights Elizabeth Salmon in a recent report.

Mongolia may have publicly announced the arrest because North Korea’s foreign minister might visit Mongolia soon on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties Anthony Rinna, an expert on DPRK-Central Asia relations, told NK News.

“Mongolia has, as a matter of principle, always tried to maintain balanced ties between the two Koreas as part of its broader strategy of maintaining relative equilibrium between China, Russia and the West,” Rinna explained.

In response to NK News questions about the arrest by Mongolia, South Korea’s foreign ministry said it could not confirm any details but that it is making “diplomatic efforts to ensure that North Korean defectors staying abroad can safely and quickly go where they want to go without being forced to return to North Korea against their will.”

Mongolia has previously allowed defectors to go to the South Korean embassy where they can apply to be sent to the South, though it is unclear if that is what will happen this time. Mongolia has an inconsistent record of how it deals with DPRK nationals, sometimes choosing to repatriate North Koreans.

“In light of Mongolia’s outreach to the DPRK, Mongolian authorities may have arrested the defectors as a sign of goodwill toward Pyongyang, especially as Mongolia’s previous status as a relatively popular destination for North Korean defectors has caused friction between Pyongyang and Ulaanbaatar,” Rinna said.

The number of defectors reaching South Korea has plummeted since the outbreak of COVID-19 due to austere border closures in the DPRK and China’s own anti-pandemic movement restrictions.

Only 34 North Korean defectors reached South Korea between January and March this year, the most in a three-month period since 2020 but still far fewer than before the pandemic.

Only a handful of the defectors who have reached South Korea during the pandemic crossed the DPRK border, according to experts. Most were apparently already in third countries — like Mongolia — before seeking to resettle in the South, including overseas workers.

More than 1,000 defectors made it to South Korea in 2019 before the pandemic, and nearly 3,000 arrived per year in the late 2000s.

Edited by Arius Derr