My escape from North Korea | Hyeonseo Lee | TED

Summary

The speaker recounts her childhood in North Korea, where she was taught to see America, South Korea, and Japan as enemies. After witnessing public execution and the devastating famine of the 1990s, she was sent to China to live with relatives. As a North Korean refugee, she faced danger and fear of repatriation. Despite the challenges, she made her way to South Korea, where she faced an identity crisis and the stark differences between the two Koreas. She helped her family escape, enduring numerous arrests and imprisonments, before finally reuniting in South Korea. The speaker emphasizes the importance of international support for North Korean refugees and their potential to change North Korea from within.

Takeaways

• 😢 The speaker grew up in North Korea, believing it was the best country and unaware of the suffering of its people.
• 😱 The first exposure to the harsh reality came through a letter detailing starvation within the country.
• 👀 Witnessing public execution and a mother and child dying of starvation were turning points that shattered the speaker's innocence.
• 🌑 The mid-1990s famine in North Korea was devastating, with over a million deaths and survivors resorting to eating grass and bugs.
• 🏙 The contrast between the dark North Korea and the lit-up China across the river was a stark reminder of the disparity.
• 🚸 The journey to escape North Korea was fraught with danger, including the risk of death while crossing the Amnok River.
• 🚨 Living as a North Korean refugee in China was perilous due to the illegal migrant status and constant threat of repatriation.
• 👮‍♀️ A harrowing experience with Chinese police interrogation highlighted the high stakes of being discovered.
• 🏥 The struggle continued in South Korea with the need to learn a new language and adapt to a different culture.
• 🤝 The kindness of strangers and international support played a crucial role in the speaker's journey to freedom and assistance for others.
• 🌟 The speaker's story is a testament to the resilience of North Koreans and their hope for a better future with global assistance.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial perception of their country during their childhood?

The speaker initially thought their country was the best on the planet and grew up singing a song called 'Nothing To Envy,' feeling very proud.

What did the speaker learn about other countries in school?

In school, the speaker learned about the history of Kim Il-Sung but not much about the outside world, except that America, South Korea, and Japan were considered enemies.

How did the speaker's perspective on their country change?

The speaker's perspective changed after witnessing a public execution at the age of seven and later learning about the suffering of people in their country through a letter and personal experiences during the famine.

What was the impact of the famine in North Korea during the mid-1990s?

The famine led to more than a million North Koreans dying, with survivors resorting to eating grass, bugs, and tree bark. It also caused frequent power outages, plunging the country into darkness at night.

Why did the speaker leave North Korea?

The speaker was sent to China to live with distant relatives during the famine years, initially thinking it would be a short separation.

What challenges did the speaker face as a North Korean refugee in China?

The speaker faced challenges such as living without their family, the constant fear of being discovered as a North Korean refugee, and the danger of being repatriated to North Korea.

How did the speaker narrowly avoid being repatriated after being caught by the Chinese police?

The speaker managed to control their emotions and answer the police's questions convincingly, leading the officials to believe the report was false and letting them go.

Why did the speaker decide to risk going to South Korea after hiding their identity for 10 years?

The speaker decided to go to South Korea to start a new life, seeking better opportunities and freedom.

What difficulties did the speaker encounter while settling in South Korea?

The speaker faced difficulties such as learning English, dealing with the cultural gap between North and South Korea, and experiencing an identity crisis.

How did the speaker help their family escape from North Korea?

The speaker planned and guided their family through a dangerous journey of over 2,000 miles in China and Southeast Asia, facing numerous challenges and close calls with authorities.

What was the turning point for the speaker's family during their escape journey?

The turning point was when a kind stranger paid the remaining money needed to get the speaker's family and two other North Koreans out of jail in Laos.

Outlines

00:00

😢 Life in North Korea and the Famine

The speaker recounts growing up in North Korea, believing it to be the best country, and learning about Kim Il-Sung's history without much knowledge of the outside world. They experienced a public execution at the age of seven and witnessed the devastating famine of the mid-1990s, which led to over a million deaths. The contrast between the darkness of North Korea at night and the lights of China across the river highlighted the stark differences. The speaker was sent to China during the famine to live with distant relatives, believing the separation would be temporary, but it lasted for 14 years. In China, they lived in fear as a North Korean refugee, facing the constant threat of being caught and repatriated.

05:01

🚨 Dangers of Being a North Korean Refugee

The speaker describes the risks of being a North Korean refugee in China, where they are considered illegal migrants. They recount a terrifying experience of being interrogated by Chinese police, accused of being North Korean, but managed to convince them otherwise. Despite the challenges, they decided to risk going to South Korea after hiding their identity for ten years. In South Korea, they faced the challenge of learning English and adjusting to the cultural differences between North and South. They also grappled with an identity crisis, unsure of where they belonged. The speaker's family was threatened with punishment by North Korean authorities, prompting them to plan their escape. The journey to freedom involved traveling over 2,000 miles through China and Southeast Asia, facing numerous close calls with authorities.

10:05

🙏 Overcoming Obstacles to Freedom

The speaker shares the harrowing journey of guiding their family to freedom, which included several near captures and a final arrest in Laos. They recount the emotional turmoil of being unable to secure their family's release from jail due to lack of funds. However, a kind stranger's intervention, who paid the necessary bribe, symbolized hope and the importance of international support for North Korean refugees. The family was eventually reunited in South Korea, highlighting the need for continued assistance from the global community. The speaker expresses a desire to help other North Koreans prosper with international support and envisions a future where North Koreans succeed globally, including on platforms like TED.

Keywords

💡North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia known for its secretive and authoritarian government. In the video, the speaker describes growing up in North Korea with a sense of pride and limited knowledge of the outside world, highlighting the country's isolationist policies and the impact on its citizens.

💡Famine

A famine is an extreme scarcity of food causing widespread starvation and death. The video references the North Korean famine of the mid-1990s, which led to the death of over a million people. This keyword is central to understanding the desperation that drove many North Koreans to seek escape.

💡Public Execution

Public execution refers to the act of carrying out a death sentence in a public setting. The script mentions the speaker's experience of witnessing a public execution at the age of seven, illustrating the extreme measures taken by the North Korean regime to maintain control and the traumatic experiences of its citizens.

💡Refugee

A refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. The speaker describes living as a North Korean refugee in China, facing danger and the constant fear of being discovered and repatriated, highlighting the precarious existence of those fleeing North Korea.

💡Repatriation

Repatriation in this context refers to the forced return of individuals to their home country, often against their will. The video discusses the risk of North Korean refugees being caught and repatriated to North Korea, where they may face severe punishment, emphasizing the high stakes of their escape attempts.

💡Human Rights

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled. The script touches on the lack of human rights in North Korea, such as freedom of movement and expression, and the harsh treatment of those who try to escape, underscoring the importance of these rights in a just society.

💡Identity Crisis

An identity crisis is a period of uncertainty and confusion about one's identity. The speaker grapples with an identity crisis after moving to South Korea, questioning where they belong and who they are, reflecting the psychological challenges faced by those who have been displaced from their homeland.

💡Freedom

Freedom, in the context of the video, refers to the state of being free from oppression or control. The journey to freedom for North Koreans is depicted as arduous and fraught with danger, yet it is also portrayed as a necessary pursuit for a life of dignity and autonomy.

💡International Community

The international community refers to the global network of nations and organizations that work together on various issues. The video emphasizes the role of the international community in providing support, such as education and job training, to North Korean refugees, highlighting the collective responsibility to assist those in need.

💡Hope

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. The script conveys hope as a central theme, particularly through the act of a stranger's kindness, which symbolizes the potential for positive change and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

💡Strangers' Kindness

Strangers' kindness refers to acts of generosity and compassion from people unknown to the recipient. In the video, a stranger's intervention is pivotal in helping the speaker's family escape from detention, illustrating the transformative power of empathy and support from others.

Highlights

Narrator's childhood belief in the superiority of North Korea and their pride in the song 'Nothing To Envy'.

Limited exposure to global history in school, with a focus on Kim Il-Sung and the portrayal of the US, South Korea, and Japan as enemies.

The narrator's first encounter with public execution at the age of seven, normalizing such events in North Korea.

Receiving a letter detailing the starvation of a family, a shocking revelation of the reality outside the narrator's privileged experience.

Witnessing a starving woman and her child, a traumatic event that highlighted the famine's devastating impact.

The mid-1990s famine in North Korea, which led to over a million deaths and people resorting to eating grass and bugs for survival.

Increased power outages contrasting with the lit landscape of China, raising questions about the disparity between the two countries.

The perilous journey of North Koreans crossing the Amnok River to China, with many dying in the attempt.

The narrator's secret departure to China during the famine to live with distant relatives, marking a significant change in their life.

The challenges of living as a North Korean refugee in China, facing the constant threat of detection and repatriation.

A harrowing experience of being interrogated by Chinese police, which could have led to imprisonment and repatriation.

The narrator's decision to risk everything and move to South Korea after a decade of hiding their identity in China.

Cultural and linguistic adjustments in South Korea, including learning English and the realization of the deep divide between North and South.

The emotional turmoil of the narrator's identity crisis, questioning their nationality and sense of belonging.

The narrator's strategic plan to help their family escape North Korea after they faced punishment from the authorities.

The arduous journey guiding the family through China and Southeast Asia, facing numerous close calls with authorities.

The family's arrest and imprisonment in Laos for illegal border crossing, a setback in their quest for freedom.

An act of kindness from a stranger who helped pay the family's fine, symbolizing hope and the importance of international support.

The family's eventual reunion in South Korea and the ongoing challenges faced by North Korean defectors.

The narrator's commitment to helping other North Koreans and their belief in the potential for a brighter future with global support.

Transcripts

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

When I was little, I thought my country was the best on the planet.

And I grew up singing a song called "Nothing To Envy."

And I was very proud.

In school, we spent a lot of time studying the history of Kim Il-Sung,

but we never learned much about the outside world,

except that America, South Korea, Japan are the enemies.

Although I often wondered about the outside world,

I thought I would spend my entire life in North Korea,

until everything suddenly changed.

When I was seven years old, I saw my first public execution.

But I thought my life in North Korea was normal.

My family was not poor,

and myself, I had never experienced hunger.

But one day, in 1995, my mom brought home a letter

from a coworker's sister.

It read, "When you read this,

our five family members will not exist in this world,

because we haven't eaten for the past three weeks.

We are lying on the floor together,

and our bodies are so weak, we are waiting to die."

I was so shocked.

This was the first time I heard that people in my country were suffering.

Soon after, when I was walking past a train station,

I saw something terrible that to this day I can't erase from my memory.

A lifeless woman was lying on the ground,

while an emaciated child in her arms

just stared helplessly at his mother's face.

But nobody helped them,

because they were so focused on taking care of themselves and their families.

A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s.

Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans died during the famine,

and many only survived by eating grass, bugs and tree bark.

Power outages also became more and more frequent,

so everything around me was completely dark at night,

except for the sea of lights in China,

just across the river from my home.

I always wondered why they had lights, but we didn't.

This is a satellite picture showing North Korea at night,

compared to neighbors.

This is the Amnok River,

which serves as a part of the border between North Korea and China.

As you can see, the river can be very narrow at certain points,

allowing North Koreans to secretly cross.

But many die.

Sometimes, I saw dead bodies floating down the river.

I can't reveal many details about how I left North Korea,

but I only can say that during the ugly years of the famine,

I was sent to China to live with distant relatives.

But I only thought that I would be separated from my family

for a short time.

I could have never imagined

that it would take 14 years to live together.

In China, it was hard living as a young girl without my family.

I had no idea what life was going to be like

as a North Korean refugee.

But I soon learned it's not only extremely difficult,

it's also very dangerous,

since North Korean refugees are considered in China as illegal migrants.

So I was living in constant fear that my identity could be revealed,

and I would be repatriated to a horrible fate,

back in North Korea.

One day, my worst nightmare came true,

when I was caught by the Chinese police,

and brought to the police station for interrogation.

Someone had accused me of being North Korean,

so they tested my Chinese language abilities,

and asked me tons of questions.

I was so scared.

I thought my heart was going to explode.

If anything seemed unnatural, I could be imprisoned and repatriated.

I thought my life was over.

But I managed to control all the emotions inside me,

and answer the questions.

After they finished questioning me,

one official said to another,

"This was a false report. She's not North Korean."

And they let me go. It was a miracle.

Some North Koreans in China seek asylum in foreign embassies.

But many can be caught by the Chinese police,

and repatriated.

These girls were so lucky.

Even though they were caught,

they were eventually released, after heavy international pressure.

These North Koreans were not so lucky.

Every year, countless North Koreans are caught in China

and repatriated to North Korea,

where they can be tortured, imprisoned, or publicly executed.

Even though I was really fortunate to get out,

many other North Koreans have not been so lucky.

It's tragic that North Koreans have to hide their identities

and struggle so hard just to survive.

Even after learning a new language and getting a job,

their whole world can be turned upside down in an instant.

That's why, after 10 years of hiding my identity,

I decided to risk going to South Korea.

And I started a new life yet again.

Settling down in South Korea

was a lot more challenging than I had expected.

English was so important in South Korea,

so I had to start learning my third language.

Also, I realized there was a wide gap between North and South.

We are all Korean, but inside,

we have become very different, due to 67 years of division.

I even went through an identity crisis.

Am I South Korean or North Korean?

Where am I from? Who am I?

Suddenly, there was no country I could proudly call my own.

Even though adjusting to life in South Korea was not easy,

I made a plan -- I started studying for the university entrance exam.

Just as I was starting to get used to my new life,

I received a shocking phone call.

The North Korean authorities intercepted some money

that I sent to my family,

and, as a punishment, my family was going to be forcibly removed

to a desolate location in the countryside.

They had to get out quickly.

So I started planning how to help them escape.

North Koreans have to travel incredible distances

on the path to freedom.

It's almost impossible to cross the border

between North Korea and South Korea.

So, ironically, I took a flight back to China

and headed toward the North Korean border.

Since my family couldn't speak Chinese,

I had to guide them somehow through more than 2,000 miles

in China, and then into Southeast Asia.

The journey by bus took one week,

and we were almost caught several times.

One time, our bus was stopped and boarded by a Chinese police officer.

He took everyone's I.D. cards,

and he started asking them questions.

Since my family couldn't understand Chinese,

I thought my family was going to be arrested.

As the Chinese officer approached my family,

I impulsively stood up, and I told him

that these are deaf and dumb people that I was chaperoning.

He looked at me suspiciously,

but luckily, he believed me.

We made it all the way to the border of Laos.

But I had to spend almost all my money

to bribe the border guards in Laos.

But even after we got past the border,

my family was arrested and jailed for illegal border crossing.

After I paid the fine and bribe,

my family was released in one month.

But soon after, my family was arrested and jailed again,

in the capital of Laos.

This was one of the lowest points in my life.

I did everything to get my family to freedom,

and we came so close,

but my family was thrown in jail,

just a short distance from the South Korean embassy.

I went back and forth between the immigration office

and the police station,

desperately trying to get my family out.

but I didn't have enough money to pay a bribe or fine anymore.

I lost all hope.

At that moment, I heard one man's voice ask me,

"What's wrong?"

I was so surprised that a total stranger cared enough to ask.

In my broken English, and with a dictionary,

I explained the situation, and without hesitating,

the man went to the ATM,

and he paid the rest of the money for my family,

and two other North Koreans to get out of jail.

I thanked him with all my heart, and I asked him,

"Why are you helping me?"

"I'm not helping you," he said.

"I'm helping the North Korean people."

I realized that this was a symbolic moment in my life.

The kind stranger symbolized new hope for me and the North Korean people,

when we needed it most.

And he showed me that the kindness of strangers

and the support of the international community

are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.

Eventually, after our long journey,

my family and I were reunited in South Korea.

But getting to freedom is only half the battle.

Many North Koreans are separated from their families,

and when they arrive in a new country,

they start with little or no money.

So we can benefit from the international community

for education, English language training, job training, and more.

We can also act as a bridge

between the people inside North Korea and the outside world.

Because many of us stay in contact with family members still inside,

and we send information and money

that is helping to change North Korea from inside.

I've been so lucky, received so much help and inspiration in my life,

so I want to help give aspiring North Koreans

a chance to prosper with international support.

I'm confident that you will see more and more North Koreans

succeeding all over the world,

including the TED stage.

Thank you.

(Applause)