SMU Assistant Professor of Political Science Song Jiyoung discussed the credibility of defector’s testimonies and the ethical issues arising from the way people gather information. She was commenting on the findings of a report released last year, in which the United Nations accused the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un, of crimes against humanity, and called for the case to be referred to the international criminal court. Assistant Prof Song cited several examples of North Korean refugees sharing sensational stories to various sources, which were eventually found to be inaccurate. She noted that cash payment in return for interviews with North Korean refugees have long been the standard practice in the field, arguing that this, together with the western media’s appetite for shocking stories, would no doubt encourage refugees to exaggerate.