Yeonmi Park
#9,340 Most Popular
About
North Korean defector and activist largely known for her stance against human trafficking. She has been interviewed by outlets like the Guardian, the Washington Post, and has spoken at events like TEDx.
Before Fame
She first recognized the strict politics of North Korea after watching a pirated DVD of the film Titanic. It was after this "taste of freedom" that she began to question the oppressive policies of her home nation.
Trivia
She rose to fame in 2014 after her speech at the One Young World summit in Dublin, Ireland detailing her harrowing escape from North Korea, her family's exploitation at the hands of traffickers, and her adjustment to life beyond political oppression.
Family Life
Her father was a civil servant and her mother a nurse for the North Korean Army. Her father was imprisoned for smuggling and her elder sister Eunmi escaped to China shortly before the rest of the family. Her father died of colon cancer while she and her mother escaped to China. She eventually reunited with her mother and sister in Seoul, South Korea. She had one son during her short lived marriage to Ezekiel.
Associated With
She has frequently criticized the Kim Dynasty regime and the cruel leadership of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
