Key insights

• ⭐ The family relied on the lights from China to guide their escape from North Korea
• 📝 The speaker's sister left a note instructing her on the escape plan
• ⚠️ Escaping involved the risk of being caught and tortured if discovered
• 🏔️ The harrowing escape story involved climbing mountains and dealing with guards
• 👫 30 million men in rural China cannot find wives due to the one-child policy
• 💃 Women are smuggled from North Korea to address the shortage of women in China
• ☠️ North Korean defectors are repatriated back to North Korea and risk being sent to death camps
• 🚫 Extreme security measures make it impossible for North Korean defectors to escape

Q&A

• Why is it currently difficult for North Korean defectors to escape the country?

  North Korean defectors cannot escape anymore due to extreme security measures, including electric fences, guards shooting to kill, and landmines, making it impossible to flee. Escape attempts have become extremely difficult in recent years.

• What are the risks faced by North Korean defectors repatriated from China?

  North Korean defectors repatriated from China back to North Korea face the risk of being sent to death camps. Kim Jong-un believes defectors could pose a threat to his regime and has intensified border security with electrified fences and machine guns.

• How has the one-child policy in China impacted the population and led to the smuggling of women from North Korea?

  The one-child policy in China has led to a disproportionate number of men to women, with over 30 million men in rural areas unable to find wives. This has resulted in the smuggling of women from North Korea to address the shortage of women in China.

• What were the challenges faced during the escape story?

  The escape story involved climbing mountains and dealing with guards to flee a dire situation. Gender and age were also factors to consider during the escape.

• What risks were involved in the escape from North Korea to China?

  The escape from North Korea to China involved the risk of not being able to say goodbye to loved ones for safety reasons. There was also the danger of being caught, which could result in torture as a means to extract information.

• What guided the speaker and her family's escape from North Korea to China?

  The speaker and her family escaped from North Korea to China by relying on the lights coming from China. Living in a North Korean border town allowed them to see the lights, which guided their escape. Additionally, the speaker's sister left a note for her, instructing her on the escape plan.

• 00:00 A young North Korean girl and her family escape to China, relying on the lights from China and a note from her sister for guidance.
• 01:01 A 13-year-old girl and her mother escape North Korea to China, unable to say goodbye to their loved ones due to safety concerns. The journey involved the risk of being caught and tortured if discovered.
• 02:00 A harrowing escape story involving climbing mountains and dealing with guards to flee a dire situation.
• 02:55 There's a disproportionate number of men to women in China due to the one-child policy, resulting in over 30 million men who cannot find wives. This has led to smuggling women from North Korea to address the shortage of women in China.
• 04:02 North Korean defectors are being repatriated from China back to North Korea, where they face the risk of being sent to death camps. Kim Jong-un believes defectors could pose a threat to his regime and has intensified border security.
• 05:09 North Korean defectors cannot escape anymore due to the extreme security measures including landmines and electric fences, making it impossible to flee the country.