Life as a North Korean Refugee

SEOUL, South Korea — FOR years, thousands . The Chinese authorities routinely hunt down defectors and return them to North Korea, where they. of North Koreans have been sneaking across the border into China to escape face torture, forced labor, life in a prison camp or even public execution

This past year much has been written about the people fleeing the Middle East for Europe. The world should also pay attention to the North Korean refugee crisis, and to the *desperation* that drives it. North Koreans are forced to work at state jobs in a *moribund economy*. Countless parents watch their children go to bed hungry. Many North Korean families feel they have no option but to try to *escape*.

In 1997, I defected as a naïve 17-year-old girl who simply wanted to explore the world. I was fortunate to live on the border with China and could pick up Chinese TV channels, which opened my eyes. I stole into China, where I remained in hiding for more than 10 years, and eventually found my way to South Korea.