Yeonmi Park

How did Yeomi Rise to Fame?

Yeonmi Park rose to international fame in the summer of 2014 when she spoke from the heart at the One Young World Conference in Dublin, Ireland. There, she acquainted the world with the story of her family's harrowing escape from North Korea through Mongolia and China, her father's death on the way and her own mother's rape at the hands of the man who was to escort them to safety. She and her mother finally made it to South Korea where they were reunited with her sister. The three now live in freedom and peace with her new stepfather. However, the memories of what the family went through remain and prompt her to share with the world the story of her family's suffering, which is so similar to that of thousands of other North Koreans. Because of her outspoken advocacy for victims, she has become a target of North Korean threats and negative propaganda.

What Is She Doing Today?

At 21, she is still a full-time college student. She attends the University of Dungguk in Seoul where she is majoring in Political Science. However, her spare time is taken up with activities that promote world peace and human rights around the globe. She is a regular on the South Korean television show, Now On My Way To Meet You. This unique show features several girls who have fled North Korea and who share their stories of the horrors they and their families experienced when they lived in that country. Stories of torture, rape, imprisonment, starvation and other terrible conditions are common. While the show itself focuses on a bright, upbeat cast with singing, dancing and chat about movies or music, the end of the show often spotlights someone who has experienced terror at the hands of the North Korean government such as her. These young women often plead for help in finding lost family members or discuss the implications of human rights violations in North Korea and elsewhere. The show also helps to bridge the gap between the North Korean refugees, who are often ignored or the subjects of prejudice, and their South Korean neighbors. Many South Koreans have come to better understand what North Korean girls go through in coming to their country and are consequently more tolerant of all North Korean refugees. She is also involved in other humanitarian and outreach groups such as One Young World, The Oslo Center and other organizations.