After escaping North Korea, a defector fights for a new life inside the ring



Features After escaping North Korea, a defector fights for a new life inside the ring Jang Jung-hyuk fled hunger and abuse before settling in the South, now fighting on his own terms in pursuit of MMA glory Jooheon Kim June 6, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Mixed martial artist Jang Jung-hyuk \| Image: Courtesy of Jang Jung-hyuk Jang Jung-hyuk was 18-years-old and studying at a school in Seoul when, realizing that academics didn’t suit him, he decided to give mixed martial arts (MMA) a try. Just six weeks later, he entered a kickboxing tournament at a local university, stepping into the ring for his first real fight against a far more experienced competitor. He walked out a winner. “I completely beat up my opponent,” he recalled. That bout marked Jang’s entry into the world of competitive fighting, where he has been toiling ever since in a bid to make it big in professional MMA. But what the © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

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After escaping North Korea, a defector fights for a new life inside the ring

Jang Jung-hyuk fled hunger and abuse before settling in the South, now fighting on his own terms in pursuit of MMA glory

Jooheon Kim June 6, 2025

After escaping North Korea, a defector fights for a new life inside the ring

Mixed martial artist Jang Jung-hyuk | Image: Courtesy of Jang Jung-hyuk

Jang Jung-hyuk was 18-years-old and studying at a school in Seoul when, realizing that academics didn’t suit him, he decided to give mixed martial arts (MMA) a try.

Just six weeks later, he entered a kickboxing tournament at a local university, stepping into the ring for his first real fight against a far more experienced competitor. He walked out a winner. “I completely beat up my opponent,” he recalled.

That bout marked Jang’s entry into the world of competitive fighting, where he has been toiling ever since in a bid to make it big in professional MMA.

But what the

After escaping North Korea, a defector fights for a new life inside the ring

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Jooheon Kim

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