Jihyun Park is a remarkable North Korean defector, human rights activist, and author whose journey from oppression to advocacy has inspired audiences worldwide. Born in Chongjin, North Korea, in 1968, she endured famine, poverty, and repression before escaping the country twice—first in 1998, only to be repatriated and imprisoned, and again in 2004, ultimately finding refuge in the United Kingdom in 2008 with the help of the United Nations. Now a British citizen living in Greater Manchester with her family, Park is an outspoken advocate for North Korean women, collaborating with organizations like Korea Future to highlight issues of sexual and gender-based violence. Her memoir, The Hard Road Out: One Woman’s Escape from North Korea, details her harrowing experiences and resilience, while her historic candidacy in the UK’s Bury Metropolitan Borough Council elections marked her as the first known North Korean defector to run for office in the West.

Jihyun's Links:

Her Book: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Road-Out-Womans-Escape-ebook/dp/B09YFN75J9

X: https://x.com/JihyunPark7

Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yevgeny Sorokin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠.