“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years.

Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing [email protected] and including their first name and city of residence.

Today’s question asks: What is forced labor like in North Korea?

David — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until he defected in 2012  — writes about the traumatic memories he still lives with from his time laboring as a child in the DPRK.

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