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Opinion

Blogs

Tue, October 22, 2019 | 13:14

North Korean refugees speak out: 'My Hanawon experience' (7)

Hanawon was fun. After a difficult escape, Hanawon was a relaxing and calm time. It was the most comfortable and enjoyable time I have had in Korea.

2019-10-16 10:31

Taking photos with North Korean refugees (Part 3)

My English is so bad. Please don’t let people know I am studying English now. After I arrived in South Korea I had surgery done on my eyes to fix a problem, so it is possible that I won’t be as recognizable as before. Anyway, my mother is still in North Korea so I am sensitive to photos and being identified as a North Korean refugee. I don’t want to do anything that could put...

2019-10-13 10:02

Taking photos with North Korean refugees (Part 2)

I was on TV in the past so I am actually okay with photos. When I first arrived here I would run from cameras and refused to let anyone take my photo, even close friends. My brother is still in North Korea in an influential position, so I don’t want him to have any trouble. These days, I don’t run from cameras, but I don’t want people to mention political things about North K...

2019-10-07 10:47

Taking photos with North Korean refugees (Part 1)

Please, no, I hope the volunteers won’t try to take my photo, I really don’t want it. I have a couple of reasons for wanting to maintain my privacy. I worked at a casino when I was in North Korea, so I was connected with some high-level government officials and I know about their corruption. They think I am dead because my family reported that I was missing. Second, I still h...

2019-10-05 10:42

'Have you ever considered returning to North Korea?' (Part 2)

No, I haven't thought about it. North Korea was hell for me. I had to pretend to be someone I wasn't so I wouldn't get into trouble.

2019-09-30 09:51

'Have you ever considered returning to North Korea?' (Part 1)

I thought about it a lot when I first arrived. I had left my family behind in North Korea, I was here on my own. South Koreans seemed to be so unsympathetic and uncaring.

2019-09-29 15:06

'Have you ever considered returning to North Korea?' (Part 2)

NK defectors talk about death of mother, son who may have starved

There have been international headlines for the past month about a North Korean refugee named Ms. Han Sung-ok who reportedly starved to death in Seoul.

2019-09-21 09:07

What freedom is and why it is essential

What is freedom and why did I risk my life to find it? What is freedom when combined with the words: “private property,” “mobility,” and “speech”? Today, I am going to talk about these three types of freedom.

2019-09-15 09:39

Why do NK refugees take to the stage?

I have two reasons for joining the speech contest. First, healing. When I joined the speech contest two years ago, I went through a healing process. I was able to write about my experience of escaping North Korea, going through China, then settling down here in South Korea. I felt my damaged heart had been healed. TNKR's co-founders, staff and volunteer mentors all encouraged...

2019-09-01 10:28

North Korean refugees speak out on TV shows about them

I arrived in South Korea when there were few North Korean refugees here. I wish those kind of shows would have been in the media then. So many South Koreans assumed we were criminals or losers, or accused us of abandoning our families. The shows aren't perfect, but one good benefit is that they have introduced many South Koreans to everyday North Korean refugees. A second goo...

2019-08-10 09:05

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