The reliability of North Korean defectors' testimony and the celebrity status some of them have achieved has caused controversy inside and outside the Korean Peninsula.

High-profile members of the defector community told NK News they were worried about the reliability of defectors' testimony, while recognizing their contributions to revealing the realities of North Korea. One suggested that more than half of celebrity defectors' experiences are exaggerated. They generally worry about the distrust caused by false testimonies, saying it might undermine South Koreans' motivation for unification.