According to the Ministry of Unification, 71 percent of North Korean refugees are female. This edition of "Voices from the North" presents three female refugees discussing how they have adjusted to South Korea and how English has had a role in that adjustment. ― ED.
Ji-hye, escaped from North Korea in 2011, arrived in South Korea in 2011.
My first memory of English haunts me. I had just escaped to South Korea; I was so hopeful about life here. After leaving a hanawon, I enrolled in a middle school immediately. In one of my first classes, we played an English game.
Everyone else knew the vocabulary; I was the only one who had no idea. I felt eager to learn, but instead I felt so humiliated by their responses and ridicule. They said the reason I was ignorant of the vocabulary was because I was from North Korea. I felt so humiliated. Eventually I dropped out of school and enrolled in a refugee school where the teachers and staff would be more understanding.
I should get over it, I know it and I tell myself that, but for years that continued to haunt me in interactions with South Koreans. It seemed they were waiting for me to fail or to show ignorance about something so they could laugh about it and tell others about another stupid North Korean refugee they had met.
When I went to college, I thought I would be able to get over this, but it seemed that quick judgments about North Korean refugees seemed to become even more frequent. If I do well, then people will say things such as, "Wow, you did really well, even though you are from North Korea." If I don't do well, then people will say, "Yes, you are from North Korea, so that may be the reason for your failure" or "you don't know about that because you are from North Korea." I really wish that people would stop judging North Korean refugee individuals as proof of the success or failure of North Korean refugees overall.
I don't mean to judge people judging North Korean refugees, because there are sometimes that we don't know things. For example, I had no idea what an ambulance was when I came to South Korea.
North Korea doesn't have ambulances, or at least not where I grew up. When I learned about ambulances, and how wonderful it is to have such a service, I regretted that I was born in North Korea. It opened my eyes to learn even more about the world. If North Korea ever becomes a normal country and North Korean refugees can return to North Korea, then I would like to introduce ambulances and other things to North Koreans. I won't mock them, however, I hope I can be a good mentor and teacher understanding what people need and helping them increase their understanding.
Instead of judging North Korean refugees, let's work together. I am surprised when I meet the occasional South Korean who blames the dictators rather than North Korean individuals for our ignorance about things here.
These days, my big obsession is English. I heard about this program a few years ago. It seemed that I could survive in South Korea without English, so I didn't take it seriously. But then, when it was time for college and to start planning my professional path in life, I had to think more deeply about how I could achieve my goals. That's when English became an emergency and I looked up TNKR and begged you to meet me suddenly, even though I had known about you earlier. I may stay in South Korea or I may live abroad. One good thing about meeting foreign teachers here is that they don't judge North Korean refugees. They place the blame on the dictators and the North Korean system rather than laughing at our ignorance about things here.
They welcome me, instead of trying to ridicule me; they will listen so patiently as I try to solve English. Even though my pronunciation and grammar are so bad, they take the time to help me understand. I feel so sorry for my teachers. I know my English is not good, but they patiently wait for me to understand and structure classes, so I must be active rather than passive.
Mina, escaped North Korea in 2014, arrived in South Korea in 2014
When I first came to South Korea, everything was new to me. I felt like an adult who was placed in a time machine, arriving as a newborn in a new universe. The biggest shock was the internet. I couldn't believe how much information was everywhere. In North Korea, it was difficult accessing information and of course I was not allowed to know about most books and I was only legally allowed to read things the government approved. But here, I can access the whole world just by turning on my computer and logging on. I can read almost any book and I can read opposing views and find critics analyzing a book.
As soon as I got to South Korea, I got the English bug. At hanawon, an English pastor and his Korean wife visited and spoke English to us. It was amazing, it was the first time I had seen someone Korean speaking in English. I began looking for opportunities to study English, but I couldn't afford it and I wasn't sure how to get started. I hoped to get accepted into a university, but I realized it would be difficult, especially because of English.
My new friend the internet became my best friend. I began studying English for 10 hours a day. I had learned some basic English in North Korea, but of course I wasn't prepared to interact with anyone. I spent hours and hours just trying to learn basics. I didn't want to be such a lousy speaker that people would run away from me, I had to do my part. Then after I gained some confidence, I studied everywhere possible. Hagwons, online, meeting foreigners, language exchanges, anywhere and anytime. If I failed, it would only be after a lot of effort.
My English improved some, but there were many limitations. Friends wanted to chitchat, learn about my story and to talk about North Korea, and it was uncomfortable asking them deep questions that could improve my understanding of how English works. They want general conversation. Many guys wanted to start dating rather than serious English study. I started to notice the pattern how they would start off serious, then began suggesting social activities, then eventually sexy talk. Once they tried to transition away from serious study, then it was hello goodbye, I would disappear.
That's why your volunteer teachers were such a shock for me. I still can't understand why they want to tutor for free and take it so seriously. When I explained this to my sister in North Korea, she couldn't believe there were such kind people in the world, and it was more shocking when I told her that it was mainly Americans so focused on helping us with English.
I appreciate the opportunity to just study, I need to be prepared for my career so I can have a good life. That is more important than some public meetings or hanging out. I risked so much to come here, so it is very serious for me to study hard.
Gyu-lee, escaped North Korea in 2014, arrived in South Korea in 2014.
When I was in North Korea I never took English seriously. I never thought I would ever meet a foreigner in my life. It seemed more like I would meet people from another planet rather than foreigners. Even though I was taught to hate Americans, and to even kill them if I met them, I am a tiny girl so I didn't believe they would be scared by me. I didn't see the need to study English.
I regret that so much. I was able to escape North Korea and to come to South Korea. I am so happy, I am enjoying my life so much. There are so many opportunities; I can meet so many wonderful people. There is one terrible big challenge in my life: English.
At my university, I did my best to avoid classes in English. I struggled and suffered so much because of English.
I am now working part-time. I feel terrible whenever I meet foreigners because I can't communicate with them. I work at a hospital, so sometimes I have trouble collecting documents and information from English speakers. The experiences can be bad and it really brings my mood down. I use translation programs, but they aren't reliable, and I am sure my colleagues look down on me when I struggle with this. I can see they are watching to see if I can handle English speakers. I am in a low position at my hospital. I don't know if I can get hired full time because of my low English ability.
Other than English, my adjustment has not been difficult. At every moment, I have met nice people ready to help me. Meeting foreigners at the hospital has been my only challenge because it can affect the ability to perform my job.
I am enjoying being here. There are many opportunities for me to do what I want, work where I want, even to learn something like English. Learning English has opened my eyes to the world.
Some of my teachers try to be gentle, but I am happy to have them push me. It would be much easier for me if they used Korean, but it would not be as effective. Using English with my tutors gives me more confidence when I am at work. When a foreigner comes in, then I am not as nervous about dealing with them because I can talk one-to-one with English tutors who even role-play hospital situations with me. If I continue studying English, then one day I may even welcome foreigners visiting the hospital instead of feeling stress wondering if I can properly collect documents from them.
Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, was the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and the winner of the Global Award from Challenge Korea 2017. TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee translated the remarks of refugees from Korean to English.
Ji-hye, escaped from North Korea in 2011, arrived in South Korea in 2011.
My first memory of English haunts me. I had just escaped to South Korea; I was so hopeful about life here. After leaving a hanawon, I enrolled in a middle school immediately. In one of my first classes, we played an English game.
Everyone else knew the vocabulary; I was the only one who had no idea. I felt eager to learn, but instead I felt so humiliated by their responses and ridicule. They said the reason I was ignorant of the vocabulary was because I was from North Korea. I felt so humiliated. Eventually I dropped out of school and enrolled in a refugee school where the teachers and staff would be more understanding.
I should get over it, I know it and I tell myself that, but for years that continued to haunt me in interactions with South Koreans. It seemed they were waiting for me to fail or to show ignorance about something so they could laugh about it and tell others about another stupid North Korean refugee they had met.
When I went to college, I thought I would be able to get over this, but it seemed that quick judgments about North Korean refugees seemed to become even more frequent. If I do well, then people will say things such as, "Wow, you did really well, even though you are from North Korea." If I don't do well, then people will say, "Yes, you are from North Korea, so that may be the reason for your failure" or "you don't know about that because you are from North Korea." I really wish that people would stop judging North Korean refugee individuals as proof of the success or failure of North Korean refugees overall.
I don't mean to judge people judging North Korean refugees, because there are sometimes that we don't know things. For example, I had no idea what an ambulance was when I came to South Korea.
North Korea doesn't have ambulances, or at least not where I grew up. When I learned about ambulances, and how wonderful it is to have such a service, I regretted that I was born in North Korea. It opened my eyes to learn even more about the world. If North Korea ever becomes a normal country and North Korean refugees can return to North Korea, then I would like to introduce ambulances and other things to North Koreans. I won't mock them, however, I hope I can be a good mentor and teacher understanding what people need and helping them increase their understanding.
Instead of judging North Korean refugees, let's work together. I am surprised when I meet the occasional South Korean who blames the dictators rather than North Korean individuals for our ignorance about things here.
These days, my big obsession is English. I heard about this program a few years ago. It seemed that I could survive in South Korea without English, so I didn't take it seriously. But then, when it was time for college and to start planning my professional path in life, I had to think more deeply about how I could achieve my goals. That's when English became an emergency and I looked up TNKR and begged you to meet me suddenly, even though I had known about you earlier. I may stay in South Korea or I may live abroad. One good thing about meeting foreign teachers here is that they don't judge North Korean refugees. They place the blame on the dictators and the North Korean system rather than laughing at our ignorance about things here.
They welcome me, instead of trying to ridicule me; they will listen so patiently as I try to solve English. Even though my pronunciation and grammar are so bad, they take the time to help me understand. I feel so sorry for my teachers. I know my English is not good, but they patiently wait for me to understand and structure classes, so I must be active rather than passive.
Mina, escaped North Korea in 2014, arrived in South Korea in 2014
When I first came to South Korea, everything was new to me. I felt like an adult who was placed in a time machine, arriving as a newborn in a new universe. The biggest shock was the internet. I couldn't believe how much information was everywhere. In North Korea, it was difficult accessing information and of course I was not allowed to know about most books and I was only legally allowed to read things the government approved. But here, I can access the whole world just by turning on my computer and logging on. I can read almost any book and I can read opposing views and find critics analyzing a book.
As soon as I got to South Korea, I got the English bug. At hanawon, an English pastor and his Korean wife visited and spoke English to us. It was amazing, it was the first time I had seen someone Korean speaking in English. I began looking for opportunities to study English, but I couldn't afford it and I wasn't sure how to get started. I hoped to get accepted into a university, but I realized it would be difficult, especially because of English.
My new friend the internet became my best friend. I began studying English for 10 hours a day. I had learned some basic English in North Korea, but of course I wasn't prepared to interact with anyone. I spent hours and hours just trying to learn basics. I didn't want to be such a lousy speaker that people would run away from me, I had to do my part. Then after I gained some confidence, I studied everywhere possible. Hagwons, online, meeting foreigners, language exchanges, anywhere and anytime. If I failed, it would only be after a lot of effort.
My English improved some, but there were many limitations. Friends wanted to chitchat, learn about my story and to talk about North Korea, and it was uncomfortable asking them deep questions that could improve my understanding of how English works. They want general conversation. Many guys wanted to start dating rather than serious English study. I started to notice the pattern how they would start off serious, then began suggesting social activities, then eventually sexy talk. Once they tried to transition away from serious study, then it was hello goodbye, I would disappear.
That's why your volunteer teachers were such a shock for me. I still can't understand why they want to tutor for free and take it so seriously. When I explained this to my sister in North Korea, she couldn't believe there were such kind people in the world, and it was more shocking when I told her that it was mainly Americans so focused on helping us with English.
I appreciate the opportunity to just study, I need to be prepared for my career so I can have a good life. That is more important than some public meetings or hanging out. I risked so much to come here, so it is very serious for me to study hard.
Gyu-lee, escaped North Korea in 2014, arrived in South Korea in 2014.
When I was in North Korea I never took English seriously. I never thought I would ever meet a foreigner in my life. It seemed more like I would meet people from another planet rather than foreigners. Even though I was taught to hate Americans, and to even kill them if I met them, I am a tiny girl so I didn't believe they would be scared by me. I didn't see the need to study English.
I regret that so much. I was able to escape North Korea and to come to South Korea. I am so happy, I am enjoying my life so much. There are so many opportunities; I can meet so many wonderful people. There is one terrible big challenge in my life: English.
At my university, I did my best to avoid classes in English. I struggled and suffered so much because of English.
I am now working part-time. I feel terrible whenever I meet foreigners because I can't communicate with them. I work at a hospital, so sometimes I have trouble collecting documents and information from English speakers. The experiences can be bad and it really brings my mood down. I use translation programs, but they aren't reliable, and I am sure my colleagues look down on me when I struggle with this. I can see they are watching to see if I can handle English speakers. I am in a low position at my hospital. I don't know if I can get hired full time because of my low English ability.
Other than English, my adjustment has not been difficult. At every moment, I have met nice people ready to help me. Meeting foreigners at the hospital has been my only challenge because it can affect the ability to perform my job.
I am enjoying being here. There are many opportunities for me to do what I want, work where I want, even to learn something like English. Learning English has opened my eyes to the world.
Some of my teachers try to be gentle, but I am happy to have them push me. It would be much easier for me if they used Korean, but it would not be as effective. Using English with my tutors gives me more confidence when I am at work. When a foreigner comes in, then I am not as nervous about dealing with them because I can talk one-to-one with English tutors who even role-play hospital situations with me. If I continue studying English, then one day I may even welcome foreigners visiting the hospital instead of feeling stress wondering if I can properly collect documents from them.
Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, was the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and the winner of the Global Award from Challenge Korea 2017. TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee translated the remarks of refugees from Korean to English.
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