October 03, 2023
Opinion

‘Save our country’: Yeonmi Park’s new book compares woke America to North Korea

The famous defector’s claims may appeal to some but risk undermining her message on North Korean human rights

North Korean defector and human rights activist Yeonmi Park is back with a new book. But this time, her target isn’t Kim Jong Un — it’s “woke” America.

In “While Time Remains,” Park covers well-trodden right-wing talking points, taking aim at gender pronouns, cancel culture and even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And she draws on her experiences as a North Korean refugee — a victim of brainwashing, malnourishment and trafficking — to present herself as well-positioned to recognize oppression when she sees it.