Ex-North Korean diplomat appointed a vice minister in South Korea

South Korea's president has appointed Tae Yongho, a former North Korean diplomat, as a vice minister, the highest-level government job for the thousands of North Koreans who have resettled in South Korea.

Tae defected to South Korea in 2016 to avoid his children's miserable lives in North Korea and to avoid "despair" over leader Kim Jong Un's executions and nuclear ambitions. North Korea accused him of embezzling government money and other crimes.

President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed Tae secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, which provides the president with policy advice on peaceful Korean unification. Tae is the first North Korean defector appointed to a vice-ministerial job in South Korea, among about 34,000 North Koreans who have resettled in South Korea.

Most North Korean defectors left North Korea after a devastating famine in the mid-1990s. Upon arrival in South Korea, they are given citizenships, almost-free apartments, resettlement money, and other benefits. However, many experience diverse discrimination and severe difficulties in adjusting to new lives in capitalistic, highly competitive South Korea. President Yoon promised to provide greater government support to improve the lives of North Korean defectors on the inaugural "North Korean Defectors' Day" on Sunday.

Source : https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/07/18/world/ex-north-korean-diplomat-appointed-a-vice-minister-in-south-korea/1958228

Comprehension

Who has President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed as a vice minister?
Why did Tae Yongho defect to South Korea in 2016?
What crimes did North Korea accuse Tae Yongho of committing?
What role has Tae Yongho been appointed to by President Yoon?
How many North Korean defectors have resettled in South Korea?
What benefits are provided to North Korean defectors when they arrive in South Korea?
What challenges do North Korean defectors face in South Korea?
What promise did President Yoon make on the inaugural "North Korean Defectors' Day"?

Discussion

How do you think Tae Yongho’s appointment might impact other North Korean defectors in South Korea?
Why might it be difficult for North Korean defectors to adjust to life in South Korea?
In what ways can the South Korean government support North Korean defectors better?
How do you feel about the benefits provided to North Korean defectors upon their arrival in South Korea?
What are some challenges you think people face when moving to a new country?
Why is peaceful unification between North and South Korea important?
How might discrimination affect the lives of North Korean defectors in South Korea?
What do you think are the main differences between life in North Korea and South Korea?
How do you think other countries can help improve the situation of North Korean defectors?
What is the significance of having a "North Korean Defectors' Day"?

Vocabulary

Defector - A person who abandons their country or cause in favor of an opposing one.
Embezzle - To steal or misappropriate money placed in one's trust.
Unification - The process of making or becoming a single unit.
Resettle - To settle in a different place.
Famine - Extreme scarcity of food.
Citizenship - The status of being a citizen with rights and duties.
Discrimination - Unfair treatment of different categories of people.
Inaugural - Marking the beginning of an institution, activity, or period of office.