“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of who 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 is about funerals and mourning in the DPRK.

Sersong Han — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until he defected in 2014 — writes about why some North Koreans refuse to be hospitalized, mourning his loved ones at home and the reason he scattered his