Jin is a pseudonym for a North Korean defector writer. She was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until she defected in 2014. She now resides in South Korea.
A defector writes about corrupt traffic police, the importance of bribes and the Kim regime’s disregard for rule of law
An escapee writes about trains, planes and automobiles and why the main form of transportation is one’s own two legs
A defector writes about daily routines and the supremacy of work, and why DPRK citizens don’t even think about hobbies
An escapee writes about the devastation of the DPRK environment and why few people think about conservation
North Koreans are passionate about education, and like in South Korea, a fever for private instruction has taken hold
The young girl has joined her father at multiple events, and it’s clear that she’s far from a normal North Korean child
Artists have little say over what they perform, and they must make immense personal sacrifices to practice their craft
Most in DPRK worry about whether they can eat rather than what, but some dishes still elicit nostalgia for defectors
Juvenile delinquency appears far less common than in other countries, but this doesn’t mean DPRK youth have it better
People in the DPRK are curious about the far wealthier South, but the interest doesn’t always go in the other direction
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