David

About the author

David is from Hamhung Province in North Korea. When he was younger, he was a footballer and later joined the North Korean army. In the army, David was deployed to the front lines and crossed the DMZ to South Korea in 2012. He graduated from university in South Korea and currently works as PR manager for North Korean human rights organization NAUH.

Settling in Seoul: What do you think about critics of North Korean defectors?

A DPRK escapee talks about encountering people who question his testimony and how he learned to embrace his past

David November 21, 2023

Ask a North Korean: What do socialism and capitalism mean to you?

A defector shares what DPRK taught him about equality and how living in South Korea has shaped his views on capitalism

David September 15, 2023

Ask a North Korean: What do North Koreans think about war?

The DPRK extols its ‘victory’ in Korean War, but ordinary soldiers must confront harsh reality of potential conflict

David July 27, 2023

Settling in Seoul: How have you changed 10 years after escaping North Korea?

Without friends or family, one defector reached a breaking point before resolving to build a life he could be proud of

David June 28, 2023

Ask a North Korean: How one soldier escaped across the heavily armed DMZ

New columnist David writes about the challenges of army life and how a South Korean leaflet convinced him to defect

David April 28, 2023