President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to make every diplomatic effort to prevent the forcible repatriation of North Korean defectors abroad.

The president made the vow on Sunday in a ceremony commemorating the inaugural North Korean Defectors' Day at the former presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.

President Yoon said that the government will never turn a blind eye to North Korean compatriots suffering from the North Korean regime, pledging to make its best efforts to ensure every North Korean defector will be embraced by South Korea.

He stressed that resolving North Korean human rights issues is an important foundation for peace and unification of the Korean Peninsula, and accepting North Korean defectors is the first step toward that goal.

Yoon vowed to substantially increase resettlement funds for the defectors and help them build assets, while also promising tax benefits for companies hiring defectors.

President Yoon ordered the designation of a national memorial day for North Korean defectors during a Cabinet meeting in January.