By Hyeonseo Lee
An impressive perception into lifestyles lower than one of many world’s such a lot ruthless and secretive dictatorships – and the tale of 1 woman’s terrifying fight to prevent capture/repatriation and consultant her relatives to freedom.
As a toddler transforming into up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee used to be considered one of thousands trapped via a secretive and brutal communist regime. Her domestic at the border with China gave her a few publicity to the area past the confines of the Hermit state and, because the famine of the Nineties struck, she started to ask yourself, query and to understand that she have been brainwashed her complete lifestyles. Given the repression, poverty and hunger she witnessed without doubt her state couldn't be, as she have been informed “the top at the planet”?
Aged seventeen, she determined to flee North Korea. She couldn't have imagined that it might be twelve years prior to she used to be reunited along with her family.
She couldn't go back, on account that rumours of her get away have been spreading, and she or he and her family members may perhaps incur the punishments of the govt. gurus – regarding imprisonment, torture, and attainable public execution. Hyeonseo in its place remained in China and swiftly discovered chinese language with the intention to adapt and continue to exist. Twelve years and lifetimes later, she might go back to the North Korean border in a bold project to spirit her mom and brother to South Korea, on some of the most hard, expensive and hazardous trips imaginable.
This is the original tale not just of Hyeonseo’s break out from the darkness into the sunshine, but in addition of her coming of age, schooling and the unravel she discovered to rebuild her existence – now not as soon as, yet two times – first in China, then in South Korea. powerful, courageous and eloquent, this memoir is a triumph of her awesome spirit.
Read or Download The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story PDF
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Extra info for The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story
Min-ho, may possibly you borrow an identity from an individual in Changbai? a person. ’ Min-ho acknowledged he may attempt a number of enterprise contacts. the 1st guy ran a used motorbike store. He got here out as he observed us method, wiping his fingers on an oily, stained T-shirt. ‘What’re you doing right here? Who’s she? ’ was once his greeting. He wasn’t fats, yet his posture was once so slouched that his intestine hung over his belt. Min-ho acknowledged that he used to be purchasing kinfolk presents for Chuseok, the Korean harvest pageant that used to be days away. He brought me as a cousin from Shenyang, and acknowledged he desired to visit Shenyang, yet had to borrow an identity for a couple of days. ‘If I lend it to you and also you get into hassle, what am I alleged to do? ’ Min-ho had informed me this guy was once sincere, yet a born coward whilst it got here to bending the principles. ‘Report it stolen,’ I stated. He puffed out his cheeks and shook his head slowly. Min-ho’s moment touch used to be a motorbike elements dealer, a pleasant guy with a patchy beard. We took him for lunch, and gave him an identical pretext. I additionally provided to pay him 1,000 yuan ($150), and to come back the cardboard to him in a week’s time. ‘What in the event you get stuck? ’ he acknowledged, lighting fixtures a cigarette. ‘Say you misplaced the cardboard, and get a brand new one. ’ He blew out a mix of laughter, nerves and smoke. ‘There are lots of police officers round. They’re checking every body. ’ i may see that he desired to say no. in its place he acknowledged: ‘Give me an afternoon. I’ll give it some thought. ’ We had no selection yet to attend. I went to Mrs Ahn’s residence to work out if she may well aid. the home was once boarded up. A neighbour acknowledged that she had moved away. We have been out of techniques. it is going to need to be the second one dealer or not anything. meanwhile I needed to booklet one other dear evening on the lodge. i used to be again in a single of these tight corners the place i discovered myself ultimate my eyes and muttering to my ancestors, beseeching, determined, soliciting for their support. yet I anticipated no miracles. Our challenge appeared hopeless. The dealer known as the following morning as we have been consuming breakfast. ‘I’m scared shitless approximately this, yet Min-ho has helped me make some huge cash. I owe him. ’ after we had the identity in our fingers i spotted that the man’s age was once thirty-eight. Min-ho was once twenty-two, and appeared not anything like him. nonetheless, it used to be the gender that counted. I figured that’s all of the police might examine. the cardboard was once additionally in a special layout from mine – it used to be in either chinese language and Korean scripts, which I’d by no means visible earlier than. The elements dealer instructed us the police had introduced an incredible national social clean-up crusade sooner than the 60th anniversary celebrations. visitors have been dealing with exams and roadblocks in every single place. the practical factor could were to attend weeks till issues had calmed down, yet I didn’t have the funds for. We needed to movement. i didn't are looking to panic my mom and Min-ho. I reassured them that I had religion in our strong good fortune. If fortune was once with us, we’d be secure it doesn't matter what. If it wasn’t, there has been not anything shall we do. on the trainer station i purchased 3 160-yuan ($25) tickets for the trainer leaving at 2 p. m. tomorrow.