About the Author
Tae-il Shim
Tae-il Shim is a pseudonym for a North Korean defector writer. He left the DPRK in 2018, and now resides in South Korea.
“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News column penned by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years.
Readers may submit their questions to defectors by emailing [email protected] and including their first name and city of residence.