In an exciting event hosted by the Center for Politics, the Jefferson Council, and Young Americans for Freedom, North Korean defector Yeonmi Park is coming to speak at UVA next Wednesday, April 2nd at 7:00 pm. Below is a brief primer on Park and what the event will entail.
Born in North Korea, human rights activist and YAF Speaker Yeonmi Park grew up in a punishing society devoted to the worship of Kim Jong-Il. But at the age of 13, she and her family made a daring escape to China in search of a life free of tyranny. In her viral talks, Park urges audiences to recognize—and resist—the oppression that exists in North Korea, and around the world.
Growing up in Hyesan, North Korea, it was normal for Park to eat wild plants because she was so hungry and see dead bodies as she walked to school. After watching a pirated copy of “Titanic,” the veil of tyranny began to fall. Having caught a glimpse of a free world, Park realized that her experience of life wasn’t the only one—and that she might one day find a way out.
In 2002, Park’s family suffered a crucial blow when her father was arrested and sent to a prison camp for engaging in “illegal trading”—selling materials that no one would be punished for in a free society. In 2007, Park’s sister escaped with a friend before she and her mother followed her to China. But before they could locate her, Park and her mother were sold separately to Chinese human traffickers. In 2009, Park and her mother crossed the Gobi Desert to Mongolia from China in -40-degree weather, finding freedom in South Korea. She recounts this incredible story in her searing memoir “In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom,” and in insightful, moving talks based on her experiences.
A candid speaker, Park is fast becoming a leading voice of oppressed people around the world. The BBC named Park one of their “Top 100 Global Women.” She is an admirable defender of free speech, academic freedom, and traditional American values.
Park is also the author of “While Time Remains: A North Korean Defectors’ Search for Freedom in America,” published in February 2023. Her literary success at such a young age is an inspiring reminder that young Americans can accomplish big things and make a positive impact on our nation.
Much of her current advocacy work is especially relevant to the university due to the imprisonment and death of Otto Warmbier, a UVA student who visited North Korea. He was held captive for 17 months in the country after allegedly trying to steal a propaganda poster from the Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang. In memory of Otto, Park tries to expose North Korea’s atrocities, championing freedom and human rights.
Students can register to attend the event using the link below:
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