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Ties that bind us: transnational networks of North Koreans on the move

Interviews and participant observation with individuals from North Korea over the course of two years illuminated the complexity of the primarily kin-based networks that are created by, and maintained through, the migration of North Koreans from North Korea, through China and on to South Korea and beyond. This paper draws on the aggregate findings of these interviews but focuses particularly on the stories of two North Korean migrants whose experiences underline the significance of transnational migration for individuals on the margins of society, for whom maintaining transnational survival networks is an ongoing, conscious act of resilience in the face of a gendered state discourse that seeks to turn these individuals into docile pseudo-citizens. The second half critically considers concepts of hierarchical citizenship and assumptions underlying South Korean state policy towards North Korean newcomers that highlight the importance of transnational ties for the survival of those on the margins.