I Survived Sex Slavery, Prison & Starvation | Extraordinary Lives | @LADbible

but when I heard that after I just used to stand up and holding the knife in my hand then I just shouted with this man if you touched my son I want to kill you [Music] Jihan thanks so much for joining us it's fantastic to have you here before we get into it can I just ask you in your own words to introduce yourself I was born in North Korea and I escaped North Korea twice so now I am human rights activities in the UK so today I want to share about the North Korea human rights issues to audience fantastic and I think the thing that's striking about your story is escaping North Korea not once but twice um what stands out to me as interesting in the first place is that North Korea is famously a very controlled place and somewhere where there's a there's a degree of brainwashing that goes on from a young age so how do you get to a point where you've been raised in a place that is brainwashing you what triggers wanting to escape did you always know that you didn't like it and that something was wrong or was there a specific event that made you think there's a different life outside this I didn't know much about outside the countries because North Korea they will bring the outside information into North Korea so still the North Korea same and you know that they have got to own only one TV channels and only one newspaper so that is describing the only guimir song Kim Jong-il and nowadays Kim jong-un's issues not say it's a daily life you know the example is a UK's food crisis and you know Supermarket put is limited or something is a human's issues so were you aware of the outside world or do they completely limit any information or do they publish propaganda and do they say it's dangerous and frightening and we shouldn't go out to there oh yeah North Korea always said that North Korea's socialism Country and this country is best country not only socialism countries is all about the world is best countries because the reasons Kimberly song is present and the gameration is called yeah and we only this until the 1980s you know we only saw that is some socialism countries another day visited North Korea leaders visited North Korea and they celebrated the Kimmel songs birthday something that but after is it started in 1990s it's a limited they not published a lot of news it's you know the North Korea when I was born and the post-education was human hate ideology so we hated South Koreans Americans we didn't know the particip government said that and we also hated anti-socialism person anti-socialism countries so that is opposed to my educations when I was born so that's why we played all this is World Games with my friends so that is growing of brain worship brain worship and we believed always what government said that and the day also said to us South Korea is America America Colony and you know the people still the hunger and they homeless and America's capitalism country so capitalism is really bad because it's also same thing is that they have not put and homeless people and every street people is sleeping on the street so we believed that yeah you believe that because we didn't get any informations but in started in 1990s government stopped our put because it's North Korea is still the day another I said uh put this to the Persian country there's only one country in our world you know but early 1990s they stopped our rise and then they said to us it is America problems because we wanted to buy food in outside the country but America sounds used to us so now we have a short put but everyone is continued to fight so that is all happened our lifetimes not only early 1990s but that is a worse Wars under 10 people died of starvation and we saw many dead bodies in Street you know train stations and every day we woke up we heard that which neighbors died of salvations and the families separated each other so I couldn't believe that it is what age were you here sorry this time is I was 25 26 years yeah and I was a high school teacher so when I went to the school and you know my children didn't go they arrived in school classroom and children didn't listen to us they just lie down in on table and also room is really quiet then we heard that they stomach is it sounds it was a really hard time but I also kind of another is a printable adult to my children's so I continue to push it to them why you didn't listen to me why you didn't bring your homework but not only to that after school they also is a kind of the first level walk in um but it's it's a farmer's side or mountains the cleaning the road Street the children yes yeah it is happening North Korea is still the happenings so the children were coming to school and they were unable to concentrate because they were so hungry but then they'd finish school and be sent to forced labor in different kind of manual places yeah it's it's a still to happen in North Korea what was the turning point for you to decide to escape so my turning point was is that the 1996 you know that my uncle died of starvation in front of me oh my God yeah but that's times I didn't change my mind because still the brain was still still believed that is government but in 1997 is my younger brother had problems so last time he was joined is an army and then you know the he also kind of a business walk is a made money to government but once the business was failed because all countries collapsed down so where is the money come from so their business was closed down but this is a really political issues because they didn't pay the money to government so after they do this run out it's all groupies run out then he came to my house but after his army they came to my house on the day to just find out my younger brother so because he couldn't pay yes yeah take him for something yes yes did you know what they would do to him does his political problems you know could be the arrested and then send the political operations so that's why they could members all run out right but so he came to home and he didn't stay at home and he sleep slept in they planned the house but North Korea system is you know the kind of 1984 it's everyone is an eye on who is a state someone's house or something that so Army came to my home and the day people is my home areas telling to them if you watched my younger brother and contacted to us so all neighbors all apartment is you know the old towns look after my house and also they looked after they planned house too my God so basically everybody around you was now looking for your brother to report him to the army yes yes and you just said that I think a prender house I just what do you mean by that sorry is it the school print house yeah you know that people you know not take finish the high school and then started the armies 10 years oh yes I see so he okay right so he basically ran away so was it that was that the point that you okay that's interesting because I thought you decided that North Korea the way of life wasn't correct but actually was it more serious because you were worried that your brother was going to be captured by the Army and that's what made you decide to leave you decided because your brother was in danger for political reasons that you and your brother should Escape no that's times I didn't I didn't doubt about it so my brother is a once arrested another in be denied he said somebody is a doctor our house and then I opened the door I was shocking because they arrested my younger brother then already beaten to him so he all bought his swollen and his evidence blood and then they came to my house until the beaten the early morning so we have got two rooms so they beaten is another room and me and my father they did it in your house yes we heard everything we heard everything that's on the early morning I think that was 5 00 am they opened the door and I was unspeakable unspeakable it's a you know the already beaten to him but of and then in my home they beaten to him his four hours four hours yeah and how old was he at that point last time my younger brother was 22. that time was 10. and so a group of grown men yes yeah they all grown man they baby 30 or 35 or something that's so they blocked his you know the old sticks so beaten to him okay and then early morning they left my house because they arrested my younger brother and left to home so then me and my father didn't chat any words we knew that is what's happened to my younger brother and we knew that we didn't see my younger brother in future so I think my father is copy cried himself but he didn't say any words for me but two days after you know when my younger brother left to home and then two days after he came home again he escaped again he has a chances escaped or died so it's a pivot you know yeah so he came to home again and then my father told me that leave this country save your younger brother that's times my father was an illness and he couldn't move so in 1998 his 18th February you know I left North Korea with my younger brother and then I abandoned my illest father a learning called dining room because my father condition was still worse Wars so I couldn't wait my father's pathway because my younger brother is still the dangerous way so that's his turning point is my father my brother pushed to us leave this country but I didn't know that what happened in my next chapter and I didn't know there's a China information I didn't get any information just only left North Korea so how did you know what to do so that's time so you know the we only knew that is the China and North Korea border right that is a two more Endeavor in North hanjong Province uh this one is why I knew that because I was a student we used the first level in work year so turning the 13 you know to we left home and we stayed another his Farmer's side it's the spring is a party or 45 days in the farmer is a farmer walks it's a first level yeah and also Autumn is only 15 days so we knew that this place is based China and so you've done that kind of manual labor at a young age so you knew where the board was to China yeah that makes sense because I was going to say why did you not choose South Korea for example because obviously it's it's that is really dangerous you know South Korea is South Dakota as it could be I live in North under South Korea is a part but we North Korea is that we not troubles freely we need a travel Document right yeah so when we visited the grammar house in Holiday times and we also permission school first and then we get to travel Document the other to get the travel Document if you don't get the travel Document you are not is even just to move around in North Korea not even to go anywhere just North Korea wow today I come from Manchester to London but but I didn't get any permissions no I don't have any trouble document but North Koreans always get the trouble oh wow yeah it's still to happen so they have no it's a free movement yeah North Korea so in 1990 it's when it's stopped to rise and then electricity is gone so after his many's car is a kind of trouble it's a is issues so we call it these guys service car so we paid to them cigarette or our core and then they put towards some areas so so is this how you got to the Border you called the service car yeah paid them in secret and they drove you to the Border because they must have known what you were going to do yes yeah we know but it's quite dangerous for you because if they then reported you yeah that is a Dev and Then star beings so a lot of service Cars come out because people change it you know the uh close to the port is some areas it's a lot of kind of business happening in North Korea so me and my younger brother separated Journeys because it's my younger brother is always a hide you know hide his work in their ways or sometimes catch is the trains but me is the difference is a service car but when we cross the border areas they have got to one is a army places so this place is checked everyone um so sometimes everyone is you know there is a trouble to submit something so I also talked to them is I want to change it is I have got some it's a piece in in my back so my journey is took three days and then you know that I arrived in about the areas 21st and then my younger brother arrived to 22nd wow okay so tell us about crossing the border into China were you scared um of course it's scared and the first time was no how we cross the border and we haven't got any Brokers just only me and the young my younger brother I was a broker when you say Brokers that's something that people do they pay a broker to get you across the border yes yeah but you guys were just you two just on you and nothing just a big Outdoors yeah just nothing but you know I just only believed my younger brother because he's a strong and he also already joined the army so it was a February you know the North and the time is really cold and the liver is already present so it's a tumor neighbor is not his long part some areas only two meters or short is one meters you know this is North Korea and one meter is a Riverside under than China wow yeah it's really close it's our yellow level is is participated meter or something that but device not Automotive far is from North Korea to China so in 2 am we cross the border but you know the rain we cross the halfway and then North Korean soldiers find out to us and then they shout and also gone fired for us so they were trying to shoot you yes yeah so at that point when you say it was very cold and Frozen were you wading in the river or were you walking on the frozen ice to get across yeah it just needs to walk here wow so you're walking on the slippery slidy ice and they're firing at you from behind you yeah God that must have been that is not to owning me all North Koreans yeah they do that so I think it's a winter across the border it was lucky because it's ice but summer times you know there's a water and sometimes you know the lots of blood is come out but we didn't assuming yes so do they try to chase you and catch you across the border or once you're crossed can they not follow you yeah they not swallow because if we already did but my younger brother holding my hand sister wake up wake up yeah and then after we already arrived in China and then this ISO Isis slide is melt and then I just all bodies in inside the water it's God so it must have been freezing yeah can't believe it's all bodies pretty I I can't it's explained how that times I felt so you you fell through the The Ice into the freezing water but now you're over into China but I assume this is a very rural Countryside area that you've arrived in um you know but it's a Thailand North Korea is a different you know the event is a Riverside is North Korea also many people lived in Riverside yeah Chinese too oh so when you got there there was houses and places oh wow so so what so what did you do like were the people there immediately or no we arrived in there and after I found out that is one house they light is on knock the door and then this man is this is often to know and when on the way into today so this man told to us he already heard this gunfire yeah so he talked about or somebody's across the border so in order how many people cross the border to China yeah I can't believe that is it a lot lots a lot because of starvings yeah you know the family members are stabbing so many people cross the border and they need some rice so the man whose door you knocked on who lives on the border was he used to seeing North Koreans Crossing quite frequently so he he wasn't so shocked it's something he's seen lots of times yeah yeah I was shocked of course yeah he never shocked and then he gave it to us it's nice mirrors you know white rice and the meat and the eggs it was Paradise you know yeah I didn't know the next the chapters could be my life is here but I never talked about the next just only this moment was Paradise yeah because in North Korea white rice meanings only supposed to we eat every year wow so just plain white rice was a luxury is you know the wow give me a song dream was that one day my country people eat white rice but he did made his Dreams yeah so North Korea is white rice Is Our Big Dreams God so so you'd got to this man's house and he gave you an amazing meal uh that's a nice thing to do was he helpful did he help you oh I don't know that is really nice when I first met the Chinese accordions first time was really nice and could you communicate because it's a you know the laptop but Chinese Korean people in lives in the older right yeah in Chinese for the areas so he could speak your language yes yes yeah but you know that I never talked about the Chinese language or something that never talked about that it's just only I knew only Korean language so that's why under here also Koreans so first time was really nice but after we finish it these mirrors and then he told me that this is not to save places because already come fires are happening in North Korea so could be is a China it's a police research in these areas and what what happens in the case that Chinese police find escaping North Koreans what do they do they send back towards North Korea what just pushed make them walk back across the border oh no they put the person in prison and then sent back to North Korea because China is joined is a United Nations Refugee is used in 1984 but North Korea and China they made another agreement because two is above is communism countries you know so they made that is if someone is across the border we are not accepted to them the refugees send back to them because they are all illegal people and then if China does send the North Korean refugees back to North Korea what will happen to them in North Korea and then we stayed in place we sent we decent to us about presence could be executions and or political presence okay okay so you understand now that the place that you are in China is very dangerous even though you've had this meal that was amazing what had to happen next so then he told me that his friend is in City town is it because that is a Truman River so too many areas so I contacted to him so I believed to him because he gave to us you know the white rice nice meals I believe to him but his friend is human traffickers oh God okay yeah so it could be he works with his friends too because this selling the tours and under lots of money so do you think they sold he sold you and your brother to his friend oh yeah I didn't know so once the he planned to come to the this house and then we moved to his house and after he told me that you married Chinese man you must marry a child yes yeah so I first times I denied it to him I didn't marry it I want to only save my younger brother but I don't care any works housekeep for restaurants yeah any work I wanted to yeah but he angered me he angry to me and then he says that I maybe contacted you a Chinese police then you both sent back to North Korea so basically your choice was you do what he says which is be forced to marry a Chinese man or he'll send you back to North Korea where you know you might be executed yeah okay so that is really scared for me you know North Korea who somebody left these countries which is anti-socialism so they have to kill it to us understand the political presence and you know my younger brothers already tendered in North Korea and by far the last division was to save my younger brother so that's why I abandoned my eldest father yeah and when he was saying that you would be sold uh into marriage what would happen to your brother so first time he said that I talked about that if I married a Chinese man he could be saved my younger brother too he because I believe the all people that yeah but that is not happened you know the Chinese man told me that I bowed to you only you I live about your brother oh so where was your brother at this point yeah so then my younger brother told me that sister you have to go you have to save somewhere to survive somewhere so we separated each other's then after I heard that my younger brother also sent back to North Korea oh God so I still don't know that my younger brother is Survivor or not but my hope is never give up so that was the last time you saw your younger brother yes when you separated so still my younger brother ages 22. in my head yeah and it's it's so sad that your father's wish was for you two to escape but especially to save the brother and then of course he was sent sent back to to Korea um and your you had been taken by the person who had bought you who then trafficked you and sold you to somebody that would be your husband is that correct um I I don't say that he's a husband because he's you know that of course yeah when I arrived his house I was shocking because his house is almost the collapsed on you know and also toilet is outside his toilet was almost the clubs down and this smells came to the hall inside the home okay and its Pro is really dirty oh my God I can't believe that it's North Korean people is really clean you know yeah and they also clean the house every day but house was oh my God I I never see this kind of houses in my life so had he had he what was he a farmer yes yes yeah he's a farmer yeah so was it a Countryside rural area again yeah yeah it's contrary and had he had he bought you because he wanted you to tidy his house and keep it clean and was it just one female which was you or was there lots of ladies or how did it work when I arrived to his house and then I met his mother so his mother told me that I spoke to you and you know I borrowed a lot of money so you can walk outside then paid back pay this morning the first time is I didn't understand what you mean that because you know the broker broker told me that I married this year but this mother told me that I broke to you right so I was a Computing the first time and then next day I understood you know that I arrived his house is 10 pm it's a late night but the early morning is 4 AM is mother told me that wake up wake up YouTube is work outside wow so you'd been bought as kind of like slave labor bases yes yes on you know it's all North Korean females kind of sex slavery and also celebrity drivers in in China oh God it's awful awful so first times I couldn't believe and then early disappoint is I don't know how can I describe this world but then another females North Korean females they also kind of human trafficking disability so that's times on five females in there but we couldn't uh communication each others right because all is the neighbors and the towns they look after to us it's a similar North Korean system I see and and did everybody know that you were North Korean so was it illegal for you to be there so that the farmer should have sent you back to North Korea that is illegal yeah it's illegal so that's why every day they is brainwashed to us right now because they could get in trouble yes you escaped the discount you know we this is maybe arrested to you and we killed you or we live to you right but nobody know about that or we send to your uh China police stations and send back to North Korea they another brain was it to us God the thing that's so sad to hear about listening to this is you escape from North Korea into almost a worse situation it sounds awful like that you've been basically you'd Escape somewhere that you thought was going to be safe and then you've got immediately human trafficked yeah this is you know the only hours Paradise for me you know that is Mia that is only with my younger brother yeah then then after it's kind of still this is a celebrity life and you know the every morning is the neighbors is told to us are you still hungry you know and then you know that they bring some vegetables do you need this one do you eat or something nuts it's discrimination smart Lots I was really angry to that because you know the when I arrived at this Village and then some Chinese Koreans they really like education and they didn't know that is a Chinese characters or something that but I knew I knew it's better than to them I knew more more is the Chinese characters you know so I didn't speak English but I understand today to see the characters so which is what kind of a shop or something that but today's discriminations for me so they saw you with a kind of lower class citizen or on it so what was the the General Life on the farm from what it sounds like you're describing was just non-stop work is that correct yeah no Starbucks it's started Springs in the farmer side they started growing up with you know the lots of things so we early morning work is 5 00 am and until the dark days always this work and you know the ones it's a really whole today's so it's a lunchtime people is stopped work it's really hot so when I came to home and you know that is a model is alone it's a luncheon oh but when I came to home she hide everything and then gave to me only rice and kimchi yes unbelievable they never accept me the family members they all need look like me so slavery workers or sex celebrities yeah and and when you say there about that there's obviously this next topic is very dark and unpleasant and if there's any questions that you don't want to answer it's fine but when you mention sex slavery I'm am I correct in thinking that you you became pregnant didn't you during this time so you know that first time is I wanted to give up my life I lost my younger brother and I abandoned my father so lost to all families and then China is life was hell it's kind of another hair how could I survive but after I found out that I was pregnant but the first times I really angry for me you know the if this child born in China could be his child also same life for me it's a celebrity life but after I want to change my mind this child this could be my last family and this child could be giving me another hope and opportunity so then I changed my mind but China is the same is the system is in North Korea they never allowed as a foreign it's a child in birth to China so I was illegal and I was North Korean so one day it's a village they have got a female captains it's the same same as system in North Korea she came to me and she told me that your you to this abortions this child because we never accept your child so she told you you had to so I say that's no then you know the eyewear is a bit close because nobody find out me and and I never gave up my work early morning until the dark days even when you were heavily pregnant yeah yes did the farmer the father of the child and his mother did they know you were pregnant yeah they know but they never care about me okay you know the people I didn't walk outside they didn't give me rice and relatives so even though you were pregnant yes yeah and also then not to give to me any proper shoes I always wear the slipper oh my God because in case I expected right yeah okay so in winter you know the winter is the North China is a lot of snow but I wear the slipper because they never gave to me any proper it's a juice under any proper clothes it's always a second-hand clothes or something that yeah when you look back on that and think about them because when you tell me the story it sounds so cruel their treatment of you sounds so cruel do you how do you think about that now like do you think they just saw you as a less valuable human how could they possibly treat someone so badly but in North Korea also I was not human you know kind of prisoners brilliant worship child is Art life so in China it's the same thing but only they have got rice that is only different but this rise is not free I always walk outside yeah but now people I didn't pregnant could be I want to Suicide person but the the sense of having something to live for gave you another lease of life and then I mean I how on Earth did you give birth in that situation in China you know I was illegal you know that so I never went to the hospital I never you know the kind of accident I never get any medicines yeah so I always hide my as a fragrant until the my child's divorce so my child was born in 20th March but last time the stared called in China so you know that it's the first days I was the it's a stomach ache but first times I didn't know that is the started is the child boss but that is the egg is long long time so then I just remembered or does it could be my child's form but nobody helped me I only myself is 12 hours is my level wow she never care about me it's the it's worse so it's terrible hours and then you know the after that is in village is old lady the China and North Korea still The Neighbors in at home so kind of with the is what said is a female so they helped that so it's old lady she came to my house because she heard that is started yeah so she helped me she helped me but is the first time and I did not have this pains and I miss my mother I really miss my mother But after when my child was born and then I holding hand him that was another happiness moment because I have family now um yeah I mean it's it sounds like almost an impossible amount to take in for a young a young girl um how how did you then how did you live because it now presumably you couldn't just walk work every day in the way that you had worked before because you have a young baby that needs to be taken care of but the seven days after I continued walked because nobody gave it to me any lies anybody tips and do you know there is a when I first my child and it usually is it in Asians when first child after we drink kind of see soup for sweet soup but their families never gave to me any anything so it was just straight back to work yes yeah so last time it's been my son was born and I gave to him his name that is iron strong life in China so family members they don't like that but that is my child not today child that's my child so I always work with my child so you're carrying the child while you're yes back to my child as a young baby wow I continue to work because it's this Chinese man is you know the it's a hardcore addict and it's a gay medic so he didn't walk outside so that's why the family members hate me they hate their son unders hate me is it though that is it could be my son was born three months after his 100 days and then one night he just is a drink lots of drink and came to my house the farmer yeah farmer is so strong yeah and then he said that I want to sold it to my son because he Daft lots of gamblings money to another person so that's times you know the time is still the similar North Korea system and as many people they need a child is especially boy yeah yeah so it's my son is that time is a daily healthy boy you know so many people they need that but when I heard that after I just used to stand up and holding the knife in my hand then I just shouted to this man if you touched my son I want to kill you that is the first time I fight to evil in front of me that is the first time so then I never my son is alone in this room I'll always with him walk outside because I would already scared and it I'm aware at some point that you left the farm um when my son was born and then one years after it's you know the my Village is five North Korean females stayed there so before the new year is a Chinese police came to this Village and they arrested all five females including you yes including me and including my child so I was really scared and not only missed all is female scared so they could be sent back towards North Korea so we first stayed in the Chinese police stations two days almost three days but really scared moment is my child is just not one years old now and we have about any is the nothing so do not so I just always wash off his uh the napkins everywhere they didn't say any any words so after his police told me that if you send back to North Korea is you couldn't the with your child so you have to solve this child and then pay to us so it could be I didn't understand about North Korea but you have to sell the child to bribe the police to stay in China then this money is paid to police the police and then they didn't send back to North Korea unbelievable unbelievable because they are also a human they also somebody is fathers yeah but this my child he's not his products he's a human but they never accept them I really angry to that but they didn't send back to North Korea to us okay because they need money so after they put the towards is a house and then locked the door so pay the 5 000 villains vians every house so it's a I think it's seven days a day this is a state in every houses they just look after to us then they went to the home because it started the new year so so next day because the new eight days the train is not working so next day I accepted this village with my child and but you know I didn't know that any person in China I only knew that is female tropicals so I had no choice so I went to his house the farmer yeah none of farmers also human traffickers he was the only person that you knew yeah I only knew that oh my God but I I wanted to survive with my child so I wanted to his house and then I just explained everything what happened in my Village so I just is a big to him you just lent me some house and then I wanted to everything I want to save my because I want to responsibility my child so then he said that in in China if you land house somebody gets a Dr ID card but I haven't got an ID card so he contacted again this farmer so he came to me again he joined me this is still the horrible still to talk talkness life is happening but I have no choice because my child yeah my child so you know they invested left Village and I stayed another places and I do I did everything you know the maid is a Korean dishes in our home and growing up beings you know the Sprite and The Salted outside and also you know I was a teacher in North Korea so mass Science is a good continue to good so I this is a kind of illegal academics in night times it's the Chinese Korean student so I took this on the money but I never get money in my hand because this money is always taken out this money and then use the gambling scramblings so you're you're basically back into the so how was it that you ended up being arrested and sent back to North Korea so in China it's a same as North Korea systems you know the every Chinese people look it's around who is North Koreans or something that's so they reported to us so why do they do it do they get money yes yes it's a government always this is government paid money so that's why in China you know lots of human traffickers and a lot of that they said uh kind of this spice because North Koreans selling the human trafficking they earned money or report to police and they also on the money yeah so this morning everybody is a high high high okay and the elite people could be high prices yes so you know the last year is one North Korean uh so he stayed in Chinese prison but he escaped his imprison after the surprise is high high I see I see so it's like on America when they have The Wanted list it's that people can earn a lot of money by yeah okay okay so then so that you eventually were caught by people spying on you and Reporting you is that correct yes yeah they uh reported to me Chinese police so night time is you know the 10 Chinese authorities came to my house and they asked me in front of my child did they take your child too just asked me that you uh North Korea video you're tired or without their child because he's not spawning in North Korea so I said that without my child because it's been terrible because I knew that is if with my child North Korea and they will accept my my child because he's born in China and the father is a Chinese so you left the child with the Chinese farmer yeah I left him because it's a China is better than in North Korea they have authorized so it could be better than North Korea life I know that is I was heartbreaking but mother had no choice and how old was a child at this point that time is my son only five okay that must have been an impossible decision yes yeah under I didn't know the copy I want to reunited myself yeah yeah I didn't know so you were taken back to North Korea and then were you imprisoned yes yeah it's everyone is a state in prison everyone stayed present and then they just is a divided who is the met the South Korean uh is the pastor in China is they sent to the political prisons and who is the journey you know the South Korea Journeys but they failed and they State political prisons so they basically check they have a system of how bad your crime is based on where you went to or what you tried to do yeah because it's just every informations sent to North Korea they all write this so we never write to them so would you so would you have ever been freed or was your prison sentence for the rest of your life oh no I never talked about that because it's in prison I didn't met any lawyer you know that oh so there's no trials you don't get told anything you just get sent straight directly and I didn't know that how many years I studied in prisons oh wow okay because it's all it could be with deaf we could be just leave this present so you know that when we stayed in prison we walked in mountains yeah amarillos but always work without the shoes so tell me how you got to the point where you decided to escape again because this is a point that I think is really amazing is because everything you've just told us on the journey so far is I think it would be hard to keep hope or even to keep trying um is that you know the prison is you know the eye almost dead you know to my leg had problems yes tell us about that was it was it a snake bite or an infection no no that is it uh we always walk in outside is without the shoes but North Korea is not to Pavement you know yes yeah so they the stones and the glasses animal feed everywhere so we didn't know the I didn't know the words kind of inspiruses affected me but the leg was swollen and the dark purpose so your legs it just happens suddenly your legs yes it had some kind of yeah yes yes so I don't understand I just said you know my cut off the my the process I work because it's too tight yeah it's too tight and the halfways I couldn't failed so my head is I wanted to go toilet but I already did it halfways oh so so you couldn't feel anything from your waist yeah yeah wow so something serious had happened that's a serious but they didn't give to me any medicines so even though you you could show that your leg was swollen purple and you were saying you couldn't feel anything yeah so what did they want you to do just under you know the I the state in prison is seven days but after you know my head changed my scares changed everything changed and then you know the another person told me that or your my body smell is it's a dead body person's smell my God and so you were in a room with other people yeah because it's yellow it's a disgusting Waters came out my purse yeah yeah okay came out so it is a horrible yeah of course but I never give up I only is in prison when I send back to North Korea ioni is my hope my strength it starts one day I wanna reunited my son that is only I remember it so I never talked about it my my situations I have to survive I've already United my son my son is my last family I never gave up I never give up just only that this is survived me in prison and then you know that they said that you cannot tie the impression you died outside anyway so they just kicked me oh so they thought you were going to die so they just released you from prison yeah because I also awful I'm so awful yeah yeah with another uh girl it's the same my ages she's married Jason's starvings you know she always is shouting give me more poor the poor food so we release it together but she died three days after so we were just outside the prison and you had this terrible infection and she died from malnutrition yes yeah yeah so I just used to control my mind control my mind I never put the negative in here whole thing picture I want to joined my son he growing up universities you know everything is healthy yeah so what can you do from that point you've been kicked out of prison they've essentially released you because they think you're about to die what how do you possibly planning an escape from a country in that condition but first two months I never thought about that she said you know that I accept North Korea because I couldn't walk I couldn't walk content is it summer you know some container of the yellow is the disgusting what is the camera or yeah yes so I couldn't believe what I was just to work in future or something that's but two months after could be my condition is a little bit better and then I just try to think I want to escape the North Korea again but how no money my condition is about and this system is changed not in 1998 2004 is a totally different changed system then I want to find out that is human traffickers so second time is myself human trafficking to China wow so at this point you allowed yourself to be human trafficked because you needed to get into China yes to eventually find a way to be reunited I mean it's the sense of that yeah it's incredible because you'd been trafficked once it was terrible and awful and the the fact that you were willing to allow it to happen again because it would bring you one step closer to finally getting to yourself yeah so I never regret my choice yeah because that is it could be close to my son yeah yeah have to escape the country North Korea first so you get so you allowed yourself to be trafficked across the border and then take us through the next part of your life there the next part when you'd return to China with the human traffickers oh when I uh with the human traffickers not so honing me these journey is another uh goal you know the 20th score and the old man because he's a human old man too so it's not just women yeah it's not just for sex trafficking it's any people no that's man you should beat his relatives but they paid money to broker I see yeah so second time you know that I saw that is North Korea the human Tropicals walk human Tropicals work with this Army so because it's a it's a I'm military also not limited to put so they just cross the border to US and on the money so they work together so they have the treatment Tropicals work with this military soldiers and then day nine times you know it's pretty good to us and then we cross the border so when we cross the border you know everyone is going to speak Chinese so we just walked in Mountain areas because you know the we can't walk in the road areas yes because people are looking for you to report you to earn money and is your leg still bad at this point I know so you know that when I left North Korea put the is it the plastic is my leg and then I put this you know the song It's a shoelace in here and after wearing the shoes and the 10 children put there so cross the river uh I didn't took out my shoes I just said you know it is was November you know ice is almost this product so when you in in water this is your body so splitting but I never care I never care if I didn't cross this border I did make myself just only thought about my son and you know when I cross the border and walked in Mountain areas I never sat down I knew that is if I sat down then I couldn't stand up oh God still the pain it's still pain yeah and did the traffickers know you're in this no no were you hiding it from yeah I hide everything oh do you think they wouldn't have accepted you if you were yeah because I told him he not allowed me okay I see yeah so I everything is a height everything is hide so then uh you know the we arrived in India although it's another Chinese local house so this this is a long this is the pathways so we have to that is on the taxi so it's you know the Chinese taxi drivers usually spy so it's a later time it's a poor different people is on the taxi so taxi drivers asked us a lot of questions so they can't speak English they speak Chinese so I only spoke Chinese and is that because you learned from your previous experience yeah yeah so I spoke to him it's a that is my husband and you know and the younger ladies of my sister but she's mute and that is my father but the day of growing up in Korean is Village and they to this lack of education so they can't speak Chinese but that's true is many Chinese Korean people speak Chinese not swear then he asked me but why you speak Chinese is really weird so I said I graduated high school and then he said that it's a late times why all families move to Familia and then you know the I just need to show to him to Sony here you know that I walked in mountains and the snake is a bite me so now we went to the hospital so he solved my lab so that time is it's dark purpose so then oh I quickly you just drive wow that's fast thinking yeah wow yes so then we arrived the Chinese broker house but after North Korean broker is angry to me because I had a lot of communications with the taxi driver because he knew that is the time system then I explained everything that and after they laughing laughing and everyone is shocking so you revealed it yeah to the group they sold my love why did you hide how did you walk but you know when I sat down and then I didn't understand all I didn't stand up and after I told the broker I had a child in here I wanted to contact him but he said no you already promised towards human trafficking here so next morning I woke up and then you know the young ladies already gone wow they've already been sold yeah already sold and then North Korean broker told me that I talked about it all right because if last night on the taxi you didn't speak Chinese could be we all now is in prison but you saved my life also you saved my family life in North Korea so YouTube is contacted your son so I have got only one number he's you know that his smart his grandma's house number and then I just is a quick retired and I asked to her my son is in there so then my son is God is born but he did the answer of poem and I contacted him again and he off he hung up the phone yeah and the third time on phone and son is Mom and he said Mom and cried cried and then off so long is the required and everyone is heard myself cry so that's at the moment is really silent and then his man told me that I didn't you said salt human traffickings you have to go you have to make yourself because you saved my life so today's I want to save your life so I really thank you for this Tropicals you know so he believed that your actions in the taxi had saved his life yeah and because of that he wanted to save your life and he released you from the human trafficking contract and encourage you to find your son did you you know that I wanted to immediately to meet my son but you know that my condition was really bad could be my son was shocking so you know that I stayed in my mother's relatives house in China it's a two months and then when I was in the comedy and after are you like healed in that period yeah yes yeah because it's the relatives gave to me it's you know the medicine okay yes and then I went to the disability I didn't contact this to them because I wanted I wanted to my son I only need my son so I just hide everything and then I went to the disciplines so I saw that it's my son alone in play in outside so I just woke up him wow so you went in Disguise you saw your son playing outside and you walked up and you just grabbed him yeah just grabbed him but you know the I was another heartbreaking my son was to look like that's a homeless child yeah they never care about my son 30 clothes and dirty hand he also kind of managed Jesus his hunger always because they didn't give to him another is proper put because they hate me or they hate my son because but he is the grandchild yeah you know they never care about her did he recognize you yes yeah and did he want to go with you oh of course yeah you know that I was a first time it's a heartbreaking but when I holding he missed my his arms that is all over the world is in my arm that is that's a happiness moment I never forget I never forget and the thought standing there with him with that moment it must have also been frightening because if people had arrived and seen you and recognized you the farmer his mother the people around that reported you before yeah you had to get out of there quickly I guess yeah immediately I just used to quickly and then I went to the relative's house and washed to him and I gave to him beers he's also hunger Hunger but you know that I without to him the reasons that is China is better than our school is a lot of rice but they never gave to him any prop food so after that he tired tired because that is hungry people when you eat it's also heartbreak moment and then I decided to touch I have to leave this country because China is not the same country if I repatriated to North Korea I never see my son okay yeah yeah so how did you get to the UK I never talked about that is that I wanted to call England I wanted to go South Korea but our journey was failed everybody is another race you know we went to the qingdao but we didn't enter this South Kore Embassy and the Sangha is the same and then Beijing is true because it's an important embassy's Chinese police in there wow and they take the ID card or possible wow okay we had not and then we met tonight North Korean refugees in front of the Beijing Embassy and then we decided to that is go to ulambataro but we didn't know where is but everyone is never give up because we had no choice stayed in China we could be sent back to North Korea or close the water we could be success it is so we went to the name [ __ ] and across the a Chinese border is really high pencils strong fencer but to be close to the Border but you know the I also find out the Chinese police car came to me but you know the another North Koreans rescues to us then we arrived Mongolia but we didn't find anybody and we stayed in desert three days but of your son too yes yeah then we had no rice and no water and cold so bison is supposed to dying so I had no choice my son could be not died in this desert so we escaped across the border again and in China went to the China again and I stayed in China two years you know I selling these Korean dishes you know something that and then I met is the American pastor and he sent those United Nations but I didn't know that that time is United Nation what's Minister United Nations what do they do so I talked about there could be another Brokers one of the Brokers so they could traffic you again yes yeah yes so they told me that is which country do you want to call South Korea America or English European countries so South Korea America journey is still dangerous and we don't we didn't know that this journey is a success or not so I chose the European countries the reasons that could be I sent back to North Korea risk is less than also all Americans further away yes yes so I arrived to England but I knew only England I never heard the United Kingdom or yeah England but after I was a daily confusing you know some people told me that welcome to United Kingdom or welcome to Britain so oh that is right to me they never landed me England oh I see so you thought they just sent you to a different place yes okay yeah where you'd lived in your life up to that point the kind of the North Korea and the China and going to places like desert and ulambatar very kind of rural areas and what what year did you arrive in England I didn't know the much about the English yeah what did you think when you arrived what did you think what was your impression I only talked about it it could be safe my family of course yeah because I only doubt what the family is the first safe family safe some places just only talked about so England is successive to us but that is we didn't know it's a safe or not first time because I didn't know any speak English words or so so I can't eat everything and I never heard the refugees or Aslam Seekers It's every every word is on family language for me of course you couldn't speak any English then but when you arrived in the airport or the first time which city did you arrive in London oh yeah Heathrow Airport yeah yeah did it look different were you surprised by the city the smells and oh that is a different you know the when I arrived the Heathrow Airport I talked about the England only white people yeah so but the airport is different you know that I saw that's it all world is all different people and they're so surprised wow because in China North Korea they allowed only their people they never allowed the foreign and then you know I found that the newspaper but everyone in support that it's been oh my God it's another shocking issue because in Korea you weren't allowed to put the newspaper in the bin I guess yeah of never never thought if you just put the bin your whole family is public executions or send the political presence so we never talked about that wow and I know that you've to had a fantastic life since arriving in England you've been here a long time now you've had a second child I believe yeah I have now three children three children wow and um you told me as we were setting up that you'd met the prime minister is that correct oh yes yeah you know that first time when I arrived in the UK I didn't speak any englishes so it was really difficult life for first times but then I started learning my English the reasons that my children growing up they go to school and I wanted to communication with my children so if I don't know English it could be I lost my family again so I really hard times it's still the problems but learning English and then I started my human rights activities work the reason started by all the sun asked me that when he was 12. Mommy why did you abandon me and leave me but you know I never abandoned my child I never leave my child I loved him so that's why I survived to this Con in prison but these questions changed my life you know the many poisonous people are needing my voice especially my child so then I started my human rights work and helping many refugees in in the UK because deputies arrived in the UK they can't speak English so I just opened English class and learning to English helping today's social care not everything that and then 2020 when his copy that happened and then you know there is in in a home I always heard that many innocent people died of this virus so I was really shocking heartbreaking because already experienced in North Korea at times I didn't do anything but in the UK's different different so I wanted to I wanted to something so first time is I wanna donations PP to Care Homes because the tough times comes really big daily yeah you know the walls because it's all the people there so I donations PP 7K homes in Manchester areas and after they replied to us the pgs arrived my country and the refugees helped us so this message is changed my second chapter UK in the UK also many boys less people and somebody needs our health then I stand off with local elections because it's a local council is not too multi-politics this is kind of community community leaders helping the people so I talked that okay I want to leave payback because when I arrived in the UK they will come to me and the day helped me a lot of that so I want to repay back these things to my local people so I stand up it's a local elections but I wasn't failed but that's it that's also amazing experience yeah so I never give up my politician life too and you know last year's I met the prime minister is and also this year to his prime minister too and also the Majesty King Charles 3 yeah yeah this is you know that my life is every time it's changed and growing off and also I've read lots of history book you know because I didn't know there is Baltimore histories because North Korea is always limited so I continued learning my educations improved my skills so I mean listening to your storage units like it's genuinely amazing and it's amazing to hear that you you're such a you've got such a strong mind like your focus from being in all these places but being able to push past the mental pain of losing your brother the physical pain of having some kind of horrific leg infection to get back to your son and then to get to this country and then to turn all of that into a positive for people who were in a similar situation to you is so inspiring to hear and I guess my final question that I wanted to ask you is when you look back on your life and all the unbelievable experiences you've had what do you think it's taught you what something what's something that you've learned from all of this before I started my activities work I was always art and you know painful yet it's always this kind of negative things from imprompt me but after that I changed my mind you know the my brother is courage saved my life today my younger brother College also saved today's my life and my son without my son could be I have I am not here so this is all people always with me they give to me powers stand off they will give up they gave to me always these messages but nowadays many people they can't listen to them so that is the person I've learned that from another people so this is positive messages so we always got positive messages from another people but nowadays you know the many people they come to Communications each others so and also they can't close to themselves yes so if you don't trust to you you don't trust another people you don't trust another it's the person's respect so that is I've all learned that so I am really thankful my father my younger brother and my son because nowadays my strong that is the emotions they all give to me so I want to tell this word survivors and the victims not weakness people we are always strong and we teaching to you what is freedoms and what is happiness moment so we are not discriminating each others we are human we are human very inspiring message um it's been fantastic to meet you and it's a brilliant story and thank you so much for sharing it with us thank you so much thank you we made a deal to each other that first day that no matter what happened we wouldn't eat each other because Robin of course was not a family member and we assured him that we would die together he thought you might eat him he thought we murdered him

Channel: LADbible TV

Views: 156,605

Keywords: the lad bible, lad bible, lad, bible, videos, viral videos, viral, funny, comedy, funny videos, documentaries, exclusives, interviews, North korea, Jihyun park, north korea escape story, Sex Slavery, China, north korean defector, north korean famine, North Korea, north korea news, Life in north korea, Exclusive interview, Prison, North Korean prison, south koreans on north korea, South korea, sex trafficking, real women real stories

Id: vMA3QG3M1c0

Length: 78min 26sec (4706 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 05 2023