Park Yeon-mi Quotes

Park Yeon-mi

Profession : Activist

Birth : October 4, 1993

Everything in North Korea was about the leader, all the books, music and TV.

Park Yeon-mi

All the foreign movies we saw about love affected me and my generation. Now we no longer want to die for the regime, we want to die for love.

Park Yeon-mi

I never asked to be a spokesperson or public figure. It just happened.

Park Yeon-mi

There were stereotypes: you are from the communist country so you are not a hard worker. You talk awkwardly and speak with an accent and you don't have any high education like us so you are basically stupid. And I am shorter than South Koreans - I was malnourished when I was young. It made me believe I was a loser.

Park Yeon-mi

I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.

Park Yeon-mi

Because I have seen oppression, I know what it looks like.

Park Yeon-mi

I literally crossed through the middle of the Gobi Desert to be free. But what I did was nothing, so many people fought harder than me and didn't make it.

Park Yeon-mi

That is what is happening in America. People see things, but still they've just completely lost the ability to think critically.

Park Yeon-mi

I know the truth of North Korea. The oppression and their tragedy. It cannot be silenced.

Park Yeon-mi

My father died without knowing even this kind of democracy exists in the world. He didn't even know this much food was available in the world.

Park Yeon-mi

My detective just told me, 'Seriously, you are in danger and you have to change all your information.' But I said no because my name, Park Yeon-mi, is my legacy from my father, that's the only one he just left me. I'm very proud of my name so that's why if I die I'm ok.

Park Yeon-mi

In North Korea, it was actually an oppressive regime and that's why I escaped with my life.

Park Yeon-mi

I did everything I can to be free and escaped.

Park Yeon-mi

I was living in the border area with China, in Hyesan City. But after my father was imprisoned for informal trading, I escaped to China.

Park Yeon-mi

I thought, if I go to China, I might find food to eat. The only reason to escape was to find a bowl of rice. And I was trafficked and sold in China.

Park Yeon-mi

In North Korea, when there is an alarm, it means that there is a war drill. It means that you need to run.

Park Yeon-mi

People would ask me about my hobbies and what I liked. I had never been asked those questions because what I thought didn't matter. I didn't know what a hobby was. In North Korea we used 'we,' and to say - 'I like this,' - was the worst thing you could say.

Park Yeon-mi

In restaurants, when people order food - and they have menus - I hate that. Just give me something to eat. Quantity matters, not quality.

Park Yeon-mi

I didn't know people can be good. I didn't know people are designed to be good and help one another.

Park Yeon-mi

I have a dream to have a normal life, someday have a child, get older. But it is hard, it's a big commitment.

Park Yeon-mi