Connections

Abstract:

The article aims to articulate key micro-level factors that contribute to the resilience to conflict of South and North Korean communities living in the Seoul metropolitan area. The concept of resilience at the micro-level is defined as having three aspects: recognition of communal and individual interdependence, quality of interaction, and perceptions promoting cooperation and trust. The problem-solving workshop conducted with North Korean diaspora members and their South Korean counterparts served as an opportunity to assess communal resilience to conflict. The findings show that resilience may improve by enabling quality interaction among community members and the introduction of education that promotes understanding, tolerance, and respect.