I visited the Korean Culture Center in India to listen to North Korean refugees Songmi Han and Hyosim Maeng discussing their lives in the reclusive country, as well as their escape and how they adapted to South Korea.
I had known about, albeit vaguely, North Korea's political situation and the lack of freedom its people faced, but the story the women told us based on their own experience was heart-rendering. It was almost difficult to believe that the two countries, South Korea and North Korea, used to be one country.
According to them, people died almost every day, and schools were mainly structured to teach the children about the Kim family and installing loyalty to them. Because most of them did not get news about other countries on television and were only taught about the strength their country had, they believed that their country was the best and the most powerful. They had no idea what lives in other countries could be, and to them, the restricted life they had was the norm. Basic human rights were being abused in North Korea. To escape the country, the refugees had to risk their lives, as the very fact they decided to escape was risky and the escape itself even more perilous, having to go through mountains, rivers, and soldiers armed with guns. One of them shared about how her mother, who had escaped and had settled in South Korea before her, made three attempts to get her out of the country. The speaker had rejected her each time because she was afraid of the obstacles she would have to face if she decided to leave.
They also mentioned their new lives in South Korea. It was a culture-shock to them because everything was very different compared to the country they escaped from. It was tough getting adjusted at first. They had to learn the language in order to communicate properly, as the dialect, vocabulary, and grammar of South Korean differed from their own. In addition to that, they had to learn the basics about English as well, due to the fact most people in South Korea knew the language and some of the stores were named in English, not to mention that a few of the more modern slangs many South Koreans use are borrowed from English. Of course, getting used to the culture and the environment also took time. They also decided to go to college, where they could learn what they wanted to and made good friends who helped them out and saw them for who they are.
One of the speakers, Songmi Han, was an author for the book 'Greenlight to Freedom,' where she talked about her experience. She stated how it took her a lot of courage to write and publish the book because she, like many other North Korean refugees, were scared about what will happen to her if she tells her story to the world and the harm that may come to the family she had to leave behind in North Korea. At the end, with the support from the Freedom Speakers International (FSI), she decided to share her experience. I got a copy of the book signed by her at the end of the event. There are not many writers of North Korea origin that talked about the truth of what is happening in the country, and it was inspiring and empowering to see Songmi Han and Hyosim Maeng face their fears speak out about their lives in North Korea and what they believed in.
It was also good to see how there were many not only South Koreans but also Indians who came to the event and supported them, asking them questions during the Q&A time and sympathizing with them. I truly hope the people suffering in North Korea can find peace and their freedom, where they can express themselves openly without fear and become reunited with families who they were separated from.
コメント