Book Review – The Aquariums of Pyongyang

The Aquariums of Pyongyang is a relatively well-known work by Kang Chol-hwan, a North Korean refugee and prominent human rights activist. I am sure many of you might have seen a glimpse of it somewhere in a bookshop, so I wanted to review it before you make a decision to purchase it 😛 As usual, the

Event Recommendation – First We Take Pyonghattan, Then We Take Pyongyang

Time: May 26, 2021, 4:00 pm EDT to 5:00 pm Eastern Time Zone (USA)  North Korean escapees Ms. Seo-hyun Lee and Mr. Hyeun-seung Lee will address their life experience in North Korea, South Korea, and the United States. The two hosts of the “Pyonghattan” program will discuss the current state of the North Korean economy, society,

Event Recommendation – Bridging the Divide: Social & Cultural Integration of North and South Korea

The Korea Society of New York hosts an online discussion about obstacles and opportunities for inter-Korean social and cultural integration, featuring Dr. Hyun In-nae, Ewha University Professor and former director of the Korea Hana Foundation, and Bada Nam, Secretary General for the South Korean non-governmental organization People for Successful Corean Reunification (PSCORE). In an interview with Korea

Episode 31 – Why is the number of North Korean refugees dwindling?

People fleeing from North Korea are not a new phenomenon. Since the division of Korea after the end of the Korean War, citizens of the DPRK have fled from their country for not only political or ideological, but also economic and personal reasons. So, the area from which my question stems is quite well-studied – there have been hundreds of interviews, media reports, memoirs, and research articles written in

Book review – In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom

Curious about more things North Korean? Check out my podcast episodes here. Today I am reviewing “In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom” a memoir of a prominent North Korean refugee, Park Yeon-mi. Park Yeon-mi is a North Korean defector and human rights activist who escaped from North Korea in 2007. Park

Episode 15 – Why do some North Koreans struggle with their lives in the South?

Many North Koreans embark on dangerous adventures to escape from their country – some of them flee for political reasons, but most for economic ones. Their motivation to move to South Korea is understandable – who would not want to live in a country that is thirty times richer than yours and offers greater political