Every week we ask a North Korean your questions, giving you the chance to learn more about the country we know so little about.

This week, Zelie W of London asks:

How are defectors’ families treated in North Korea? Do you know what happened to the family you left behind in Pyongyang?

Many years have passed since I escaped from North Korea. My father and relatives are still there, but fortunately my mother and sister have managed to escape and we’re living a new life.

Of course, I will forever feel sorry and worried for my father, who we left