Interview Late African leader's daughter recalls life in N. Korea under Kim Il-sung's protection
Monica Macias poses near Tower Bridge in London in this recent photo. She is the fourth and youngest child of Francisco Macias Nguema, the first president of Equatorial Guinea since the country gained independence from Spain in 1968. She was sent to North Korea for education in 1979 at the age of 7. Photo from Duckworth BooksIn memoir, Monica Macias delves into her journey from North Korea to the WestBy Kang Hyun-kyungMonica Macias' brown skin, big eyes and curly hair made her stand out wherever she went in North Korea. She had lived in Pyongyang for 15 years since 1979 when she and two other siblings, Maribel and Fran, were sent there in 1979 by her father, Francisco Macias Nguema (1924-79), the first president of Equatorial Guinea. She was 7 at that time. In hindsight, Monica Macias, now 50, said living apart from her mother during her childhood and adolescent years made it difficult to adapt to North Korean society, as she spent most of her early days in Pyongyang homesick and missing her mother. The strict military discipline she was required to undergo at Mangyongdae Revolutiona
Mar 3, 2023By Kang Hyun-kyung
