Claims N. Korean defector earns $41k per speech 'completely incorrect' | NK News
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October 02, 2026Oct 02, 2026

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Claims N. Korean defector earns $41k per speech ‘completely incorrect’

Actual rates to start from $12.5K + fees, says speaking agent

Claims that North Korean celebrity defector Yeonmi Park earns an average of $41,000 per speaking engagement are ‘completely incorrect,’ the 21-year-old’s New York-based agent told NK News on Monday.

Park, who has been growing in international prominence as a result of high profile speeches about North Korea and human rights, earned between $39,625-$41,875 per speaking event, data from two reports published by Speakerpedia.com said.

But that data exaggerates the real figures, which will only begin to be charged for engagements conducted after the publication of Park’s forthcoming book, indicated her speaking agent Carlton S. Sedgeley, president of Royce Carlton, Inc.

“The initial fee structure is $12, 500 plus expenses for colleges,