ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Soo-ah

Soo-ah is from Taehongdan in North Korea and defected from the DPRK with her 13-year-old daughter in October 2015. Prior to her defection, she served in the Air Defense Unit and worked as a state propagandist after being discharged from the army.

Ask a North Korean: How does North Korea fight forest fires?

A defector writes about being mobilized to create firebreaks and how a lack of resources stifles fire response

Soo-ahNovember 25, 2025

Ask A North Korean

Ask a North Korean: How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?

The relatively new holiday is now a popular occasion to give gifts, while promoting the regime’s ideal of family life

Soo-ahNovember 18, 2025

Ask A North Korean

Ask a North Korean: Why a party propagandist decided to escape the DPRK

Soo-ah went from warning citizens about the false promise of defecting to crossing the Yalu River to flee to the South

Soo-ahJuly 11, 2024

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Soo-ah

More articles by 'Soo-ah'

Ask a North Korean: How does North Korea fight forest fires?

Ask a North Korean: How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?

Ask a North Korean: Why a party propagandist decided to escape the DPRK

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