Research has shown that North Korean refugee (NKR) youth who defected to South Korea are at high risk for multiple psychosocial-adjustment problems. However, little is known about the perceptions of these difficulties on the part of alternative-school community members who interact with them on a daily basis, although such perceptions could provide a rich description of the cultural and environmental aspects associated with these issues. Using a rapid ethnographic assessment, this study explored NKR youth’s psychosocial-adjustment needs from the perspectives of community members of alternative schools that offer NKR students not only education, but food, housing and 24-hour care without charge. Twenty-seven free listing interviews identified that NKR students suffer from three major psychosocial issues: (a) not feeling loved/lack of affection, (b) identity confusion and (c) communication issues/language difficulties. The subsequent seven key informant interviews revealed the perceived symptoms, causes and effects of the psychosocial issues identified and strategies used to cope with them.

While young South Koreans’ (SKs’) views on North Korean (NK) refugees, North Korea and Korean reunification have become increasingly negative or callous, less is understood about viable interventions to address their aggravating attitudes. Through the lens of Allport’s intergroup contact theory, the current study explored how SK college students’ friendships with NK refugees influence their perspectives on (a) attitudes towards NK refugees; (b) interest in North Korea; and (c) views about Korean reunification. We used a concurrent triangulation mixed‐methods design that integrates quantitative data via a survey and qualitative data via in‐depth interviews. Survey data drawn from 276 SK college students revealed that those with NK refugee friends showed more favourable attitudes towards the NK refugee population, greater interest in North Korea‐related issues and NK society, and more positive perspectives on Korean reunification. A cross‐analysis of in‐depth interviews with 11 SK college students who developed friendships with NK refugees yielded five primary domains: (a) initial occasion on which they met the NK refugee friend(s); (b) feelings and thoughts about friendships with NK refugee(s); (c) friendship‐induced changes in perceptions of the NK refugee population; (d) friendship‐induced changes in perceptions of North Korea; and (e) friendship‐induced changes in perceptions of Korean reunification. Based on the intergroup friendship’s promising effects that our findings suggest, we discussed the benefits of employing educational practices that could promote intergroup contacts and understandings of North Korea and the refugee population.

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