When I was little, I thought my country was the best on the planet. And I grew up singing a song called "Nothing To Envy." And I was very proud. In school, we spent a lot of time studying the history of Kim Il-Sung, but we never learned much about the outside world, except that America, South Korea, Japan are the enemies. Although I often wondered about the outside world, I thought I would spend my entire life in North Korea, until everything suddenly changed.
Ko sem bila še majhna, sem mislila, da je moja država najboljša na svetu. Odraščala sem ob pesmi z naslovom "Ničesar za zavidati". Bila sem zelo ponosna. V šoli smo se dosti časa učili o življenju Kim Il-Sunga, nismo pa se učili kaj dosti o preostalem svetu, razen tega, da so ZDA, Južna Koreja in Japonska sovražnice. Čeprav sem se pogostokrat spraševala, kakšen je zunanji svet, sem mislila, da bom vse življenje prebila v Severni Koreji. Vse dokler se ni nenadoma vse obrnilo na glavo.
When I was seven years old, I saw my first public execution. But I thought my life in North Korea was normal. My family was not poor, and myself, I had never experienced hunger.
Pri sedmih letih sem bila prvič priča javni usmrtitvi. Kljub temu sem mislila, da je moje življenje v državi normalno. Moja družina ni bila revna, pa tudi sama nisem nikoli trpela lakote.
But one day, in 1995, my mom brought home a letter from a coworker's sister. It read, "When you read this, our five family members will not exist in this world, because we haven't eaten for the past three weeks. We are lying on the floor together, and our bodies are so weak, we are waiting to die."
Toda nekega dne, leta 1995, je moja mati prinesla domov pismo sodelavkine sestre. Glasilo se je: "Ko berete to, vseh pet članov družine ne bo več na tem svetu, kajti nismo jedli že dva tedna. Vsi ležimo na tleh, in naša telesa so tako šibka, da smo na robu smrti.
I was so shocked. This was the first time I heard that people in my country were suffering. Soon after, when I was walking past a train station, I saw something terrible that to this day I can't erase from my memory. A lifeless woman was lying on the ground, while an emaciated child in her arms just stared helplessly at his mother's face. But nobody helped them, because they were so focused on taking care of themselves and their families.
Bila sem šokirana. Prvič sem slišala, da moji sodržavljani trpijo. Kmalu zatem, ko sem hodila mimo železniške postaje, sem videla nekaj groznega, kar mi še vedno ostaja v spominu. Ženska je negibno ležala na tleh, medtem ko je v njenem naročju shiran otrok nemočno gledal v njen obraz. Nihče jima ni pomagal, ker so vsi gledali na to, kako bodo poskrbeli zase in za svoje družine.
A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s. Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans died during the famine, and many only survived by eating grass, bugs and tree bark. Power outages also became more and more frequent, so everything around me was completely dark at night, except for the sea of lights in China, just across the river from my home. I always wondered why they had lights, but we didn't. This is a satellite picture showing North Korea at night, compared to neighbors.
V sredini 90-ih let je Severno Korejo prizadela huda lakota. Nazadnje je več kot milijon ljudi umrlo od lakote. Mnogo jih je preživelo le tako, da so jedli travo, žuželke in lubje. Izklapljanje elektrike je postalo vedno bolj pogosto. Ponoči je bilo vse okoli mene temno kot v rogu, razen morja luči na Kitajskem, ki jo je od mojega doma ločila le reka. Zmeraj sem se spraševala, zakaj imajo lahko oni luči in mi ne. To je satelitska slika Severne Koreje ponoči v primerjavi s sosedami.
This is the Amnok River, which serves as a part of the border between North Korea and China. As you can see, the river can be very narrow at certain points, allowing North Koreans to secretly cross. But many die. Sometimes, I saw dead bodies floating down the river. I can't reveal many details about how I left North Korea, but I only can say that during the ugly years of the famine, I was sent to China to live with distant relatives. But I only thought that I would be separated from my family for a short time. I could have never imagined that it would take 14 years to live together.
To je reka Amrok, ki služi kot del meje med Severno Korejo in Kitajsko. Kot lahko vidite, je reka na nekaterih delih zelo ozka. Tako jo lahko Severni Korejci skrivno prečkajo. Toda mnogi pri tem umrejo. Od časa do časa sem videla trupla plavati po reki navzdol. Ne morem razkriti veliko o tem, kako sem odšla iz države, ampak vam lahko povem, da so me, med obdobjem lakote, poslali na Kitajsko k daljnim sorodnikom. Mislila sem, da bom ločena od družine samo za kratek čas. Nikoli si nisem predstavljala, da bom prebila 14 let z njimi.
In China, it was hard living as a young girl without my family. I had no idea what life was going to be like as a North Korean refugee. But I soon learned it's not only extremely difficult, it's also very dangerous, since North Korean refugees are considered in China as illegal migrants. So I was living in constant fear that my identity could be revealed, and I would be repatriated to a horrible fate, back in North Korea.
Na Kitajskem mi je kot dekletu brez družine bilo težko živeti. Nisem vedela, kakšno življenje me čaka kot severnokorejsko begunko. Kmalu sem spoznala, da je ne le zelo težko, temveč tudi nevarno, kajti na Kitajskem severnokorejski begunci veljajo za ilegalne preseljence. Tako sem živela v stalnem strahu, da bo moja identiteta razkrita in me bo čakala kruta usoda ob deportaciji nazaj v Severno Korejo.
One day, my worst nightmare came true, when I was caught by the Chinese police, and brought to the police station for interrogation. Someone had accused me of being North Korean, so they tested my Chinese language abilities, and asked me tons of questions. I was so scared. I thought my heart was going to explode. If anything seemed unnatural, I could be imprisoned and repatriated. I thought my life was over. But I managed to control all the emotions inside me, and answer the questions. After they finished questioning me, one official said to another, "This was a false report. She's not North Korean." And they let me go. It was a miracle.
Nekega dne se je uresničila moja najhujša mora, ko so me ujeli kitajski policisti in pripeljali na postajo na zaslišanje. Nekdo me je obtožil, da sem Severna Korejka, zato so preizkusili moje znanje kitajščine in mi postavljali mnogo vprašanj. Bila sem tako prestrašena, da sem mislila, da mi bo počilo srce. Če bi bilo karkoli sumljivega, bi končala v zaporu in bi me deportirali. Mislila sem, da je mojega življenja konec, toda uspelo mi je zadržati vsa svoja čustva v sebi in odgovarjati na vprašanja. Po zaslišanju je uradnik rekel drugemu: "To je bila lažna prijava. Ona ni Severna Korejka." In so me izpustili. To je bil čudež.
Some North Koreans in China seek asylum in foreign embassies. But many can be caught by the Chinese police, and repatriated. These girls were so lucky. Even though they were caught, they were eventually released, after heavy international pressure. These North Koreans were not so lucky. Every year, countless North Koreans are caught in China and repatriated to North Korea, where they can be tortured, imprisoned, or publicly executed.
Nekateri Severni Korejci na Kitajskem iščejo zavetišče na tujih veleposlaništvih, ampak mnogo jih konča v rokah kitajske policije, ki jih nato deportira. Ta dekleta so imela srečo. Četudi so jih ujeli, so bila izpuščena po pritisku svetovne javnosti. Ti pa niso imeli take sreče. Vsako leto je veliko Severnih Korejcev ujetih na Kitajskem, ki jih nato deportirajo nazaj v Severno Korejo. Tam so mučeni, zaprti
Even though I was really fortunate to get out, many other North Koreans have not been so lucky. It's tragic that North Koreans have to hide their identities and struggle so hard just to survive. Even after learning a new language and getting a job, their whole world can be turned upside down in an instant. That's why, after 10 years of hiding my identity, I decided to risk going to South Korea. And I started a new life yet again.
ali javna usmrčeni. Čeprav sem imela srečo, da sem se izognila temu, mnogi drugi sodržavljani niso imeli te sreče. Tragično je, da morajo skrivati svojo identiteto in se hudo truditi za golo preživetje. Tudi po usvojitvi znanja tujega jezika in pridobitvi zaposlitve se lahko njihov svet v hipu obrne na glavo. Zato sem se po 10 letih skrivanja identitete odločila tvegati in iti v Južno Korejo, kjer me je spet čakalo novo življenje.
Settling down in South Korea was a lot more challenging than I had expected. English was so important in South Korea, so I had to start learning my third language. Also, I realized there was a wide gap between North and South. We are all Korean, but inside, we have become very different, due to 67 years of division. I even went through an identity crisis. Am I South Korean or North Korean? Where am I from? Who am I? Suddenly, there was no country I could proudly call my own.
Ustaliti se v Južni Koreji je bil večji zalogaj kot sem pričakovala. Angleščina je bila zelo pomembna, zato sem se začela učiti svoj tretji jezik. Spoznala sem, da obstaja velika razlika med severom in jugom. Vsi smo Korejci, toda znotraj smo postali različni zaradi 67 let razdelitve. Doživela sem tudi krizo identitete. Sem Južna Korejka ali Severna Korejka? Od kod sem? Kdo sem? Kar naenkrat ni bilo države, ki bi jo s ponosom klicala za svojo.
Even though adjusting to life in South Korea was not easy, I made a plan -- I started studying for the university entrance exam.
Čeprav prilagajanje življenju na jugu ni bilo lahko, sem naredila načrt. Začela sem se učiti za univerzitetni sprejemni izpit.
Just as I was starting to get used to my new life, I received a shocking phone call. The North Korean authorities intercepted some money that I sent to my family, and, as a punishment, my family was going to be forcibly removed to a desolate location in the countryside. They had to get out quickly. So I started planning how to help them escape.
Ravno, ko sem se začela privajati novemu življenju sem prejela vznemirjajoč telefonski klic. Severnokorejske oblasti so prestregle denar, ki sem ga poslala svoji družini in za kazen jih je čakala prisilna selitev na zapuščeno lokacijo na podeželju. Morali so hitro oditi iz države, zato sem začela načrtovati, kako jim pomagati.
North Koreans have to travel incredible distances on the path to freedom. It's almost impossible to cross the border between North Korea and South Korea. So, ironically, I took a flight back to China and headed toward the North Korean border. Since my family couldn't speak Chinese, I had to guide them somehow through more than 2,000 miles in China, and then into Southeast Asia. The journey by bus took one week, and we were almost caught several times. One time, our bus was stopped and boarded by a Chinese police officer. He took everyone's I.D. cards, and he started asking them questions. Since my family couldn't understand Chinese, I thought my family was going to be arrested. As the Chinese officer approached my family, I impulsively stood up, and I told him that these are deaf and dumb people that I was chaperoning. He looked at me suspiciously, but luckily, he believed me.
Severnokorejci morajo prepotovati neverjetne razdalje, ki jih ločijo od svobode. Skoraj nemogoče je prečkati mejo med Severno in Južno Korejo, zato sem, ironično, letela nazaj na Kitajsko in se napotila proti meji s Severno Korejo. Ker moja družina ni znala kitajsko, sem jih morala nekako voditi na poti več kot 3.200 km skozi Kitajsko in naprej v jugovzhodno Azijo. Potovanje z avtobusom je trajalo en teden in večkrat so nas skoraj ujeli. Enkrat je naš avtobus ustavil kitajski policist. Vsem je vzel osebne izkaznice in jim začel postavljati vprašanja. Moja družina ni razumela kitajsko in sem mislila, da bodo aretirani. Ko se jim je policist približal, sem kar vstala in mu povedala, da so to gluhonemi ljudje, ki sem jih spremljala. Sumničavo me je pogledal, toda na srečo mi je verjel.
We made it all the way to the border of Laos. But I had to spend almost all my money to bribe the border guards in Laos. But even after we got past the border, my family was arrested and jailed for illegal border crossing. After I paid the fine and bribe, my family was released in one month. But soon after, my family was arrested and jailed again, in the capital of Laos.
Uspelo nam je priti vse do laoške meje. Porabila sem skoraj ves svoj denar za podkupnino laoškim carinikom. Tudi po prečkanju meje je bila moja družina aretirana in priprta zaradi ilegalnega prečkanja meje. Po plačilu kazni in podkupnine so bili po enem mesecu izpuščeni. Toda kmalu zatem so bili zopet aretirani in priprti v laoški prestolnici.
This was one of the lowest points in my life. I did everything to get my family to freedom, and we came so close, but my family was thrown in jail, just a short distance from the South Korean embassy. I went back and forth between the immigration office and the police station, desperately trying to get my family out. but I didn't have enough money to pay a bribe or fine anymore. I lost all hope.
To je bila ena izmed najnižjih točk mojega življenja. Storila sem vse za svobodo svoje družine. Bili smo tako blizu, ampak bili so priprti zelo blizu južnokorejskega veleposlaništva. Hodila sem od urada za priseljence do policijske postaje in nazaj, v obupnem iskanju rešitve za svojo družino. Nisem pa več imela dovolj denarja za plačilo kazni ali podkupnine. Izgubila sem vso upanje.
At that moment, I heard one man's voice ask me, "What's wrong?" I was so surprised that a total stranger cared enough to ask. In my broken English, and with a dictionary, I explained the situation, and without hesitating, the man went to the ATM, and he paid the rest of the money for my family, and two other North Koreans to get out of jail.
Takrat sem zaslišala moškega, ki me je vprašal: "Kaj je narobe?" Presenečena sem bila, da je popolnemu tujcu bilo mar in me je vprašal. S pomočjo slovarja in svojo polomljeno angleščino sem mu razložila situacijo in brez pomisleka je moški šel do bankomata in plačal preostali znesek za izpustitev iz zapora moje družine in še dveh drugih Severnih Korejcev.
I thanked him with all my heart, and I asked him, "Why are you helping me?"
Zahvalila sem se mu iz vsega srca in ga vprašala: "Zakaj mi pomagate?"
"I'm not helping you," he said. "I'm helping the North Korean people."
"Ne pomagam vam", je odvrnil. "Pomagal sem severnokorejskem narodu."
I realized that this was a symbolic moment in my life. The kind stranger symbolized new hope for me and the North Korean people, when we needed it most. And he showed me that the kindness of strangers and the support of the international community are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.
Spoznal sem, da je to bil simbolični trenutek v mojem življenju. Prijazni tujec je bil simbol novega upanja zame in za Severne Korejce, takrat ko smo ga res potrebovali. Pokazal je, da so prijaznost tujcev in podpora svetovne javnosti resnično žarki upanja, ki jih severnokorejski narod potrebuje.
Eventually, after our long journey, my family and I were reunited in South Korea. But getting to freedom is only half the battle. Many North Koreans are separated from their families, and when they arrive in a new country, they start with little or no money. So we can benefit from the international community for education, English language training, job training, and more. We can also act as a bridge between the people inside North Korea and the outside world. Because many of us stay in contact with family members still inside, and we send information and money that is helping to change North Korea from inside.
Naposled, po dolgem popotovanju sem bila ponovno skupaj z družino v Južni Koreji, toda prihod v svobodo je bil le en del bitke. Mnogo Severnih Korejcev je ločenih od svojih družin in ko prispejo v novo državo, imajo komajda kaj denarja. Od svetovne javnosti imamo lahko koristi v izobraževanju, učenju angleščine, službeni praksi in še kaj. Lahko tudi služimo kot most med ljudmi znotraj Severne Koreje in zunanjim svetom, kajti mnogo od nas ohranja stike z družinskimi člani tam in jim pošiljamo denar in informacije, ki pomagajo spreminjati Severno Korejo od znotraj.
I've been so lucky, received so much help and inspiration in my life, so I want to help give aspiring North Koreans a chance to prosper with international support. I'm confident that you will see more and more North Koreans succeeding all over the world, including the TED stage.
Imela sem srečo, da sem bila deležna pomoči in navdiha v svojem življenju, zato hočem pomagati dati ambicioznim Severnim Korejcem možnost uspeha z mednarodno pomočjo. Prepričana sem, da boste videli zmeraj več Severnih Korejcev, ki uspevajo po vsem svetu, vključno s TED odrom.
Thank you.
Hvala.
(Applause)
(Aplavz)