Q&A with a North Korean defector (DMZ and JSA tour)

On our trip back to Seoul, we had the opportunity to ask questions to someone who defected from North Korea to China in 2002.  By dictionary definition, a defector is someone who "gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another."  After being smuggled to China through a “broker” (smuggler), the woman traveled through several countries to South Korea, where she is now a citizen.  The rest of her family remains in North Korea.  As she crossed the Yalu River into China with several others, she watched as a woman’s baby floated away down the river.  The mother could not retrieve the baby for fear of revealing the whole group to snipers.  The defector cannot speak English, so Jin translated the questions and answers.  The defector must remain nameless to protect her identity on the internet, as officials may still be looking for her.

Q (mine):  “What was North Korea like in 1994 when Kim Ill Sung died?”

A:  “People were crying for about four months.  It was as if the world ended.  At the time, I was in the army and my unit went to the statue of Kim Ill Sung when it rained and we covered the statue with our army uniforms and flowers.”

The statue of Kim Ill Sung in Pyongyang, North Korea

Q (mine):  “Where did you live in North Korea and what was it like there?”

A:  “I lived in Chongjin on the east coast of the peninsula.  Over 70% of the population is starving.  We would cut the bark off trees and make soup.  Only 30% of the population has enough to eat.  The higher powers are aware but not willing to change it.”

Q:  “How would you describe South Korea in comparison to North Korea?”

A:  “South Korea is like heaven; in North Korea, women cannot wear tight jeans, have long hair, or wear earrings.  Women are working all of the time.  Here, ladies are the queens.”

Q:  “What was the education system like for you in North Korea?”

A:  “We were told that North Korea is the best place.  People know nothing of the outside world.  We only had one TV station and one radio station run by the government.  In general, we do not value life because the standard of living is so low.”

Q:  “What do you think the future of North Korea is?”

A:  “More of the same.  The people want change, but there is small chance of it happening.  A revolution like the revolutions that happened in Egypt and other places are not possible in North Korea because there are spies everywhere.  There would be no way to coordinate such an uprising.”