I was born in North Korea. I had never heard of human rights until I escaped

Throughout the Nineties, a lot of North Koreans died of famine — a whole lot of 1000’s or maybe even hundreds of thousands of individuals.

In my hometown of Hamhung, folks sat exhausted by the highway or simply collapsed on the road, and their our bodies lay there. As summer time got here, the variety of corpses elevated. By the late ’90s, demise was in every single place within the metropolis. There was a “physique disposal squad,” tasked with clearing away the scattered useless from lots of the streets. I observed new graves showing daily on a small hill on the best way to my pal’s home. There have been typically birds gathered round shallow graves, pecking away.

We couldn’t simply sit and wait to die of starvation and illness. So we determined to flee to our family throughout the border, who had settled in Northeast China through the Japanese occupation of Korea within the early twentieth century. My mom and I left for China, promising my gravely unwell father that we might be again in 10 days. After we lastly crossed the Tumen River to China, I used to be misplaced for phrases. I watched as my family gave good white rice leftovers to their canine as if it have been regular. With my reminiscences of numerous folks dying of hunger, with out even a kernel of corn to eat, I used to be aghast on the sight of the canine carelessly consuming leftover rice.

After just a few days in China, I used to be kidnapped from a shopping center. 4 males grabbed me and put me right into a automotive. Considered one of them held my arms behind my again with one hand; his different hand-held a knife. Once they reached a village within the mountains, a Chinese language farmer purchased me. I used to be 24 years outdated at the moment, and was offered at a really excessive worth of 20,000 yuan, or about $4,000.

Twice, I attempted to flee however failed. I didn’t wish to settle for my destiny as a offered girl. In February 2001, I lastly made my escape from the farmer. After surviving in China for seven years whereas finding out Mandarin, I used to be in a position to stroll right into a U.S. embassy previous Chinese language guards. I sought asylum within the U.S., however was as a substitute directed to South Korea.

That’s how, seven years after leaving North Korea, I defected to South Korea. The day after ending my time at Hanawon, a resettlement help centre for North Korean refugees, I travelled to Seoul and noticed an indication hanging: “Residents’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights.”

I couldn’t take my eyes away from the signal. Human rights! I had by no means heard these phrases till that second. Do people have rights? The idea was new. I used to be deeply moved by one thing and couldn’t clarify it. Was it true that we have now rights? Right here have been folks working for the human rights and dignity of North Koreans. I needed to cry for these nonetheless within the North.

5 years later, in 2011, International Affairs Canada established the John Diefenbaker Defender of Human Rights and Freedom Award, and the Residents’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights was given its first award. I used to be with them for that historic second in Ottawa.

Tomorrow is Human Rights Day. On Dec. 10, 1948, the United Nations Normal Meeting adopted the Common Declaration of Human Rights. They appealed to all nations to keep away from tragedies just like the Second World Struggle and the Holocaust. However practically 75 years later, related violations of human rights are nonetheless taking place in North Korea.

As soon as North Korean residents be taught what human rights and freedom are, they are going to understand that the ruling Kim household strips them of each. One of the simplest ways to counter the regime’s nuclear weapons? Give actual energy to North Korean those that they will use in opposition to their very own authorities: data of our common human rights.

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