32 everyday life as constructed by the mutually oriented actions of individuals, an object of research. In this study, we moved beyond approaching the topic through the basic categories usually employed to study the reality of human rights violations; instead, we made experiences of everyday life the object of research. While interviews constitute, from this perspective, one very valuable research method amongst others, this research has used the research method of ‘open narrative interviews’ to get even closer to human rights violations as experienced by North Korean refugee women in their past everyday lives. By inviting interviewees to freely compose their narrations, the ‘open narrative interview’ is a research method that aims at overcoming the limitations of involuntary accounts induced by the researchers’ questions. (2) Developing a sound understanding of reality based on organic interrelations between research materials This study strived to produce a sound understanding of the reality of human rights violations against North Korean refugee women by organically combining literature, narrative material, and quantitative data. We read and discussed in depth the existing body of research and studies on North Korean human rights and the human rights of North Korean refugee women, examined the contents of each research paper with regard to the respective time periods covered, their research methods and analytical findings, and compared the results with the contents of this research in an effort to deduce similarities and differences. Furthermore, we aimed for a sound understanding of the human rights situation by comparing and reviewing the contents of the narrative material created through the in-depth interviews, quantitative indicators produced through the survey study, and the contents of existing research and studies. 2) Conduct of study and research <Table 3-1> Study and research process Research Forum (5 sessions)