Objective: Taking note of the fact that North Korean refugee children experience frequent separation from their mothers and long-term maternal deprivation during their childhood, this study examined the relationship between children’s separation experiences and attachment.

Methods: A total of 37 children aged from 5 to 9 were assessed on their attachment using the Separation Anxiety Test, and their mothers reported on their child’s separation experiences.

Results and Conclusion: The major findings of this study were as follows: first, the result of evaluating their attachment pattern showed North Korean refugee children had a high level of insecure attachment with a high tendency for avoidant attachment. This avoidant attachment tendency is probably due to growing up in a repressed emotional environment by frequently experiencing maternal separation in North Korea, China, and even after settling down in South Korea. Second, children’s secure attachment level was higher if they did not experience separation from their mother, if their mother had a high level of education in South Korea, or if they lived with a big family.