The death of a North Korea defector and her son has raised calls to address loopholes and blind spots in the South Korean government's welfare system for defectors.

In a parliament meeting on Monday, ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Ki Dong-min called for regulatory improvement and securing more workers in the field to prevent such tragedies.

The mother and son were found dead in their home in southwestern Seoul late last month. Their rent was overdue, while the electricity and water supply had been cut off. The local community center said the two lived in extreme poverty but apparently were not on the radar of the government's welfare safety net for the provision of state subsidies. 

Following news of their death, the Health and Welfare Ministry ordered local authorities to swiftly conduct inspections to search for victims in similar situations.