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Thu, January 28, 2021 | 14:49

Male defectors on English and adjustment to South Korea

Male defectors on English and adjustment to South Korea

According to the Ministry of Unification, 71 percent of North Korean refugees are female, 29 percent are male. This edition of “Voices from the North” presents three refugee males discussing how they have adjusted to South Korea, and how English has had a role in that adjustment. The next edition of “Voices from the North” will present three refugee females discussing similar...

2019-03-31 13:20

North Korean defectors: 'Please, don't ask me about…'

North Korean defectors: 'Please, don't ask me about…'

Sometimes, it seems that North Korean TV programming has a special channel here. There is so much talk about the leaders of North Korea. I'm really tired of hearing about them. I have never started a conversation with anyone about the Kim family ruling North Korea, but people constantly ask me about them. It was propaganda all of the time when I was in North Korea, and it see...

2019-03-17 18:18

Defectors' perspective: Why am I negative about tourism to North Korea? (part2)

Defectors' perspective: Why am I negative about tourism to North Korea? (part2)

I'm ashamed that people go to North Korea, it is so disappointing. The trips organized or approved by North Korea only show what North Korea wants them to see. Tourists might see 1 percent of North Korea, but they won't see how most North Koreans live. North Korea is a big propaganda machine, so everything they do will have propaganda in mind. They won't allow anything that w...

2019-03-13 09:50

Defectors' perspective: Why am I positive about tourism to North Korea? (part1)

Defectors' perspective: Why am I positive about tourism to North Korea? (part1)

I support the idea of tourism to North Korea, for two main reasons. One, North Koreans should see foreigners. Ordinary people can't meet foreigners and aren't allowed to talk to them. If foreigners aren't allowed to go there, then it could seem to North Koreans that there are only North Koreans in this world.

2019-03-12 10:31

Why North Korean defectors learn English (7)

Why North Korean defectors learn English (7)

Taeyeon (her name has been changed at her request) escaped from North Korea in 2017 and arrived in South Korea in 2018. She is a student in the Teach North Korean Refugees program, and was interviewed at the TNKR office by co-founder Casey Lartigue and her comments were translated by Eunkoo Lee also a TNKR co-founder.

2019-02-03 10:05

Defectors 'amazed' by South Koreans' positive reactions to Kim's Seoul visit

Defectors 'amazed' by South Koreans' positive reactions to Kim's Seoul visit

On December 9, several North Korean refugees visited the Teach North Korean Refugees (TNKR) office at the invitation of a TNKR student studying in the organization. The refugees were in agreement in denouncing South Koreans for welcoming Kim Jung-un to South Korea

2018-12-16 09:34

Defectors' view of Kim Jong-un's Seoul visit

Defectors' view of Kim Jong-un's Seoul visit

I'm busy with other things, such as learning English, so I don't really think about Kim Jong-un. Even when I was in North Korea, I didn't really care about him. A wonderful thing about being in freedom is that I am free to ignore North Korea and Kim.

2018-12-08 09:57

A North Korean defector's account of English speech contest

A North Korean defector's account of English speech contest

Saturday November 3 was a regular day for most people in the world, and it started that way for me too. I got up as usual, I got dressed. Then I headed out to be an assistant at the second English speech contest hosted by the Korea Hana Foundation, the government agency that assists North Korean refugees after they enter South Korean society.

2018-11-11 10:59

Why I escaped from North Korea

Why I escaped from North Korea

Cherie Yang, a Special Ambassador to the nonprofit NGO Teach North Korean Refugees (TNKR), was born in Hye Ryeng, North Korea. Through her employment at a resort near her hometown, she realized that the North Korean regime had been lying to its people. She fled North Korea in search for freedom, departing in a dramatic escape. Whereas more than 30,000 North Korean refugees ha...

2018-10-28 13:13

The reality of overseas North Korean workers

The reality of overseas North Korean workers

A number of North Koreans are granted permission to work abroad. One such North Korean refugee escaped while abroad, arriving in South Korea a few years ago. She told her story on October 17, 2018, to a delegation of Americans visiting South Korea. Here is an extended excerpt of her remarks, with identifying details and dates deleted, posted with her permission exclusively at...

2018-10-20 10:45

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