I Escaped at 6 Years Old. Am I Really North Korean?
By Sean
Sean is a participant of LiNK’s Intensive English Program (LIEP), designed to build the capacity of North Korean English speakers at the intermediate level. In partnership with the British Council, LIEP aims to cultivate participants’ communication and critical thinking skills in English. LIEP is complementary to our broader LiNK English Language Program (LELP), which supports speakers of all proficiency levels.
From Fear to My Spear
Growing up, I was a very timid boy who avoided anything that made me uncomfortable. I never raised my hand in class because I was too embarrassed to speak in front of people. Just the thought of everyone looking at me made me freeze.
One time in elementary school, every student had to sing in front of the class for a music assignment. I was extremely nervous, not only because I hated standing on stage, but also because I was afraid people would laugh at my terrible singing. It felt like a kind of phobia. I ended up crying and quietly went back to my seat.
But as I grew older, things started to change.
In early 2021, I began playing the electric guitar. At first, I practiced by myself, but after a while I wanted to play with others and do something more meaningful with music. I heard that my church band was looking for a guitarist, so I asked the band leader if I could join—very unusual for someone like me, who had never wanted to be on stage before. To be honest, I wasn’t even good enough to play during a live service. But the band leader still let me join.
I made plenty of mistakes every week. Every Sunday, I was always nervous before going on stage. But this time, I didn’t run away from fear. I knew I wouldn’t grow if I kept avoiding challenges. I realized that achieving goals often comes with pain and discomfort.
Over time, I got better at guitar and became more comfortable performing in front of people. Now, I feel totally fine being in front of a crowd. That experience really changed me. Since then, I’ve tried to face challenges instead of avoiding them.
In the summer of 2023,I had the opportunity to go to England and help raise awareness about North Korea. A Christian organization invited me and some North Korean friends to speak to people in the UK about life in North Korea. My role was to translate their stories into English for the audience.
At one of the events, I was shocked by how many people were there. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of chairs. I had never spoken in front of such a large crowd before and I had to speak in English, not my first language. I was terrified. But I reminded myself that this was another opportunity to grow. I didn’t back down. I did my job and didn’t give up. I continued translating for two weeks as we traveled across England, helping North Korean refugees share their stories.
There was another reason I had to translate. I didn’t have much of my own story to share. I was born in North Korea, but I left when I was six years old, so I don’t remember much. But during this trip, I learned a lot more about North Korea. I also saw that many people around the world truly care about what’s happening there and I realized that I care, too.
This was the first time I used my language skills for something meaningful. It was the first time I spoke, not just for myself, but for North Korea.
Growing up, I never really realized that I was from North Korea. My mother didn’t want me to interact with other North Korean kids, and I didn’t have any of the typical traits of a North Korean refugee. The way I spoke and behaved was completely South Korean. I spoke fluent South Korean, and I just lived like everyone else around me.
It wasn’t until late 2020 that I met North Korean students for the first time at an alternative school in Seoul. It was quite interesting to meet people who were born in the same place as me, but I felt different from them. Most of them had arrived in South Korea during their late teenage years. They spoke with a North Korean accent and shared detailed memories of their lives in the North. But I had nothing to share. I didn’t remember anything from North Korea. I felt like a South Korean kid surrounded by North Koreans. I couldn’t relate to their stories at all.
That’s when I started to question my identity. Am I South Korean or North Korean?
But after my experience in the UK, I can now say with confidence that I am both. I am North and South Korean.
One meaningful moment was when I shared my mother’s story---how she escaped North Korea and survived in China. She had told me this story many times, but saying it out loud myself was very different. I could feel it more deeply. It wasn’t just something I had heard anymore, it became something I carried. I realized more clearly that I am from North Korea and that my mother went through many hardships. Telling the story helped me feel more connected to my background. North Korea started to feel closer, more real, and more personal.
Now, more than anything, I want to study and learn more about North Korea. The world needs to be aware of what is happening in the North. With increasing attention and focus from the outside, we will be able to take the first step toward unification. Even if unification doesn’t happen, it could lead to the opening of borders.
Since I speak both French and English, I have come to realize that I am able to use my language skills to let the world know about North Korea. I’ve already overcome my fear of speaking on stage. That fear used to hold me back, but not anymore. Now, I feel that I need to get ready to speak up for North Korea and help the world understand its people and stories.
I’ve lived as a South Korean and connected deeply with North Koreans. I understand both sides in a way that not many people can. That’s why I believe I can become a bridge between the two Koreas.
As I continue to grow, I will keep improving my language skills and keep learning so that one day, I can stand on the global stage and speak for the people of North Korea. I want to be someone who helps the world see them not as strangers, but as part of one family.
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Opportunities like LiNK’s Intensive English Program (LIEP) are helping North Koreans find their voice, reach their goals, and lead change on this issue. Your support can help us continue to make an impact in the lives of North Korean refugees, like Sean.
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At the Forefront of North Korean Human Rights Work | LiNK Organizational Update
Liberty in North Korea welcomes Sarah Yun as our new Chief Regional Officer (CRO), South Korea, as our previous South Korea Country Director, Sokeel Park, transitions into a new role as our Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). Sarah and Sokeel will collaboratively lead LiNK’s South Korea operations while growing LiNK’s impact through their respective areas of expertise.
Over a Decade of Dedication to Human Rights
Sarah Yun brings a wealth of experience and expertise from her work to advance human rights in North Korea and across Asia during the past 15 years. She most recently served as the Country Director of Korea and Cambodia at the National Democratic Institute (NDI), managing the Institute’s operations and programs in the two countries.
Previously, Sarah was a Senior Manager for Asia at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), overseeing the Cambodia, Vietnam, North Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines programs and teams. Prior to her experience at the NED, she worked at the Center for International Private Enterprise where she managed the Cambodia and North Korea programs, in addition to the Papua New Guinea program and field office.
“I have had the opportunity to work on issues related to various countries in Asia at a variety of institutions throughout my career, but my greatest passion has always been to envision a North Korea where its people can choose their own future. I am deeply inspired by the stories and resilience of the North Korean people and am committed to supporting their leadership and efforts toward a better future.”
– Sarah Yun, LiNK CRO
Sarah holds a BA in Political Science and Business Institutions from Northwestern University and MA in International Relations and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Her journey with LiNK began in college, when she came across her campus LiNK Team.
“I first learned about LiNK during my college years, when chapters began to emerge across the United States. Since then, I have respected the organization’s mission and work. When I was given the opportunity to work at LiNK, I had great anticipation and excitement at the thought of joining and supporting North Koreans' journey toward a free and open future. Together with the LiNK team, I hope to contribute to amplifying the leadership and voices of young North Korean defectors in creative and impactful ways.”
– Sarah Yun, LiNK CRO
A Strategic Shift
As LiNK continues to expand and refocus our programs in response to the evolving needs of this issue, there was a timely opportunity to bring on Sarah and diversify the organization’s impact.
As CRO, Sarah Yun will lead LiNK’s South Korea team, oversee our Capacity Building Programs, and represent the organization in South Korea. Sokeel Park will jointly represent LiNK alongside Sarah and maintain key collaborative efforts with external stakeholders. As CSO, Sokeel’s scope will also encompass the development of the organization’s broader strategy and Information Access Programs (IAP). Moving forward, IAP is an area of work which we are expanding as a crucial way to support North Koreans driving change inside the country, and achieve our vision.
North Korean refugees consistently tell us that getting more outside information into North Korea is crucial for empowering North Koreans to change their country. The importance of this area of work has only increased in recent years, so it is vital that we are able to increase the resources and time we are investing into these strategies. I’m extremely grateful to our donors for joining with us and making this expansion and these initiatives possible.”
– Sokeel Park, LiNK CSO
This is a challenging time for North Korean people, refugees, and the issue. We are grateful to Sarah for bringing her experience and expertise to LiNK and everyone whose support sustains our organization and enables us to grow.
We look forward to increasing our impact with Sarah’s leadership and sharing updates about our progress with our supporters.
