5 In the course of conducting this research the researchers have received much support and encouragement. First of all, we are greatly indebted to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, in particular, to Standing Commissioner Yu Namyeong, Standing Commissioner Mun Kyeongran, to Yi Seonghun, Director of Human Rights Policy and Education, and Deputy Director Jo Yeongguk for conferring great trust on the researchers and sparing neither support nor interest in this project. We also want to thank Prof. Cho Hyoje of Sungkonghoe University, Prof. Yi Uyeong and Prof. Yi Sujeong of the University of North Korean Studies, Prof. Yi Wonung of Kwangdong University, Prof. Lee Mikyeong of the Education Center for Unification, the Representative of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity Kim Heungkwang, No Okjae, Head of Research at The Peace Foundation, Bak Myeongkyu, Director of the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, and all the members of the National Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights in North Korea Forum for their advice and suggestions offered throughout the research process. We want to extend our thankfulness to Kim Gangil, Director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at Yanbian University, Prof. Hyeon Dongil of the College of Economy and Management at Yanbian University, and to Kim Sangwon, Director of the Welfare Hospital at Yanbian University, who have provided help and support during our field research. For organising the contents of the in-depth interviews in the course of this research we want to thank Kim Guntae, Jeon Miso, Gwon Youngtae, Kim Jeongmi, Bak Areum (Master student, 3rd semester), Bak Areum (PhD student, 2nd semester), Kim Deokwu, Kim Seongsun, and Yun Sera of Dongguk University. Most importantly, this research would not have been possible without the vivid testimonies given by North Korean refugee women and their willingness to participate in the survey research. We also want to thank everyone at Hanawon and the Sungy Association who have helped us to conduct the survey and the in-depth interviews. Especially to the women who have overcome the despair and the wounds inflicted on them through their experiences of human rights violations, who strive to live a new live amidst a difficult environment, and who have readily agreed to participate in both survey research and in-depth interviews in order to contribute to the improvement of human rights for the benefit of many other North Korean refugee women; to these,