Taking photos with North Korean refugees (Part 2)

Courtesy of TNKR

Let’s take a photo

The Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center asked 142 North Korean refugees how they felt about having their photos taken and their identities revealed online. Ninety-two (64.7 percent) North Korean refugees said they preferred not having their photos and identities revealed online. Fifty (35.3%) said they were not opposed in all situations or were fine with their photos and identities being revealed online. -- ED.

Baram, female, escaped North Korea in 2009, arrived in South Korea in 2009

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 Korea when they post my photo in the media. I want to stay away from anything political about North Korea, I don’t think they will want to punish me for studying English or working here in South Korea.

Jooyeon, female, escaped North Korea in 2012, arrived in South Korea in 2015

I am fine with photos. I was really worried about my security, so I always seem to do drastic things. When I was escaping through China, I shaved my head and did my best to look like a monk. I had heard about North Korean girls being sold as wives or in the sex industry, so I wanted to make myself look as unattractive as possible. No hair, no makeup, nothing fashionable, I wanted to look like a crazy Chinese person so no one would try to sell me. After I arrived here, I had plastic surgery done so even my own family might have some trouble recognizing me now. I haven’t sent them any new photos of myself so even if North Korea put me on the front page of all of their media, my own family might not recognize me. I’m fine with anyone pointing out that I am North Korean or taking my photo.

Yuna, escaped North Korea in 2006, arrived in South Korea in 2006

At first I didn’t want to reveal my North Korean origin because my family was still in North Korea. I was afraid that others would reveal it; it seemed that the people around me were so eager to take selfies and announce that I was from North Korea. I was getting requests to be on TV shows and media, but I rejected them all. I rescued my family members so now I am okay with photos.

Sora, female, escaped North Korea in 2008, arrived in South Korea in 2008

I didn’t commit any crimes in North Korea so I am okay with taking photos. At the moment, I have taken a pause from photos because I plan to have some action against North Korea. After that, I will have no choice but to open up completely. My family members have arrived so at last I can be free to fight against North Korea. As long as they were in North Korea, then I had to control my activities, and that included allowing people to post my photo and to reveal my identity.

Myeong-ju, female, escaped North Korea in 2003, arrived in South Korea in 2007

I was not an important person in North Korea, so I am okay with showing my face. My parents brought me here, I was young when I escaped here so North Korea wouldn’t care about someone like me who was a child when she escaped.

Jeong-ah, female, escaped North Korea in 1998, arrived in South Korea in 2013

I love taking photos with foreigners. I don’t post the photos now, [but] my long-term plan is that after reunification, I would like to show them to North Koreans as proof that foreigners are not evil. I am not an important person in North Korea so I doubt they would care about me. But I don’t want to take a photo today, because I didn’t put on my makeup or and I didn’t get dressed up.

The comments were collected by Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center. Lartigue was the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and was recently named the 2019 winner of a "Challenge Maker" Award from Challenge Korea. TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee translated the remarks of the refugees from Korean to English.