Smuggled phones help N. Korea defectors send money

In this Sept. 21, 2014 photo, North Korean defector Choi Jung-hoon, center, listens as North Korean democracy activist Park Sang-hak, right, speaks before they release balloons carrying leaflets and banners condemning North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his government’s policies during a rally against North Korea in Paju, near the border with North Korea, South Korea. One recent survey by a Seoul civic group of about 400 defectors suggested that one in every two defector families in the South send home money. “Even though we have very small incomes here, we still eat rice at every meal,” Choi said. “If we don’t buy new clothes, we can save some money to send to our family members in the North. That’s a lot of money for them.