European statistics have shown that North Korea sharply reduced the number of overseas workers and accompanying family members as more of them chose to defect while staying abroad.
 
According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, on Monday, 345 North Koreans received residence permits from 28 EU members for the first time last year.
 
The number is less than half of the 748 residence permits issued to North Koreans in 2008, when the EU began recording relevant statistics.  
 
The number of EU residence permits for North Koreans had dipped to 352 in 2009 and 284 in 2010, but increased to 433 in 2011. However, it again plunged to 262 in 2012 when Kim Jong-un succeeded his father as North Korea's leader. The number of permits for North Koreans came to 294 in 2013 and 339 in 2014.