Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Reise-ohne-Ende]

I've been really interested in the situation in North Korea lately. I was hoping that at some point maybe I could volunteer to help refugees at some point somehow.

Has anyone met any N Koreans? What were your impressions? Have you heard of any ways to help?

Are there any other political refugees from SE Asia that come to SKorea also?

[Bryan]

While we're on that topic does anyone have a website or source that outlines a defector's account of being in North Korea. I especially want to know whether the general populace is completely ignorant and brainwashed about the outside world, or whether they suspect things are better but are simply hopeless and unarmed.

[Reise-ohne-Ende]

I don't know if you've had the chance to read it, Bryan, but there is a great book called This Is Paradise!: My North Korean Childhood. It was incredibly interesting and heartbreaking. I was crying on the bus reading it! Kind of embarrassing. But yeah, it's excellent. Some internet people I've seen have questioned the veracity of some of his claims (like that the NorK military would execute someone by shooting the ropes that tied them to a pole, so that when they died they fell face down into a body bag), but I would chalk that up to a combination of propaganda and unreliable memory (which we all suffer from, especially when we've been through something traumatic).

Give it a look!

[morrisonhotel]

I'm also interested in volunteering to help refugees whilst I'm there (I shall be in Seoul). Does anyone know of any charities in the Seoul area that help refugees?

[mc_jc]

When I was an ESL teacher back in the day, there was this one dainty and polite elderly lady that used to take my classes and she was as smart as a whistle. When anyone in class asked her where she was from, she would remark she was from Pyongyang and that she fled with her family after the UN retreat from P'yang in 1950. Sometimes she would take me out to lunch after the morning classes and the stories she would tell were simply amazing; Her father ran a texile factory that made Komonos for Japanese residents in Korea and they were extremely wealthy. She would remark that P'yang was almost similar to Hanyang (the old name for Seoul) in many ways. She told me about the trips her family would take to the coast for vacations where they had a really nice villa. But she also mentioned the hard times her family had when they entered the south and how they suffered from discrimination because of their accent. She later married an industrialist that made parts for Hanjin shipping. Her youngest daughter went to Harvard to become a doctor and has a practice in Raleigh.

I had a few more in my classes, including this one drop dead gorgious girl who had defected with her father and husband to SK via a fishing boat that docked in Japan. The one thing that I remember about them is that they seemed more cheerful and friendly when they spoke to me, more so than my other students. It is almost out of shere curiosity than anything else.
Sadly, they are discriminated alot because they are seen as uneducated and not having enough skills to compete in the workforce. Many have tried very hard to assimilate into SK society to avoid sticking out to the point that they drop their accents.

[jvalmer]

I'd say at least 10% of the over 60 year old population is from the North. So, if you're in the Seoul area, the chances of bumping into someone from the North is good. Also, many Korean immigrants that went to Canada and the US in the 60's and 70's are from the North. One of my friend's mother's family fled south before and during the war. Apparently many Northerns emigrated, since they had no roots in the south, many decided to take their chances overseas.

As for the discrimination because of accent part, back in the day wasn't really much of the issue. Seoul being the capital and largest city obviously attracted people from all over the country bringing their accent with them. And after the war a good couple million Northerns made it their home. However, the newbie defectors now have problems.

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

My ex-girlfriend's father was a Kaesong Kim from Haeju, Hwanghaenam-do, North Korea. His immediately family moved to South Korea when he was 10, after World War 2, a few years before the Korean War. He was extremely lucky though he did have some extended family members who remained in the north.

Moving at such a young age, he speaks with a strong Jeolla accent so no one would know his history unless he mentions it. He was always very kind, friendly, open-minded yet tough - I think he knew deep down how lucky he was.

Another friend's grandmother was from the North, she was separated from her husband during the war never to see him again. My friend said she never really recovered from this and was - quite understandably given the circumstances - an angry, bitter person.

I'd agree that at least 10% of the older generation in Seoul would have been born or have roots in North Korea.

[cdninkorea]

My girlfriend, a Korean English teacher, once volunteered to teach basic English to North Koreans. They were working construction and apparently very nice guys. I'll ask her about how to volunteer and post it here.

[clyde]

I had a really odd experience in Fukuoka getting my last visa. I left the embassy and heard these 2 guys talking. I introduced myself in broken Korean, and we chatted for a bit. I thought they were young professionals or even in the entertainment industry. Both were immaculately dressed in the the height of Italian fashion, and both were over 6 feet tall and powerful looking. WHen it finally came up, I was from Bundang and they were from DPRK, crazy huh?

[steveohan]

for the poster who wanted to read about experiences from north koreans. there are a ton of amazing books written by north koreans who defected. i've been a bit obsessed with north korea for the last few years.

a few really good books you should check out:

aquariums of pyongyang
long road home
escaping north korea
north of the dmz

they all have a lot of good information about life in the north. it doesnt even seem real.

there is also an organization called crossing borders that helps north koreans escape into china through what is called asia's underground railroad. they run a bunch of shelters for refugees as well, but they are up near the china/north korea border.

[Reise-ohne-Ende]

These are all such fascinating stories. Thank you so much for posting!!

[Binch Lover]

There is some sort of charity located in the Gwanghwamun area that helps North Korean refugees, or maybe just the children. It was briefly mentioned in a class I took. I can try and find out more info. I think the name was Rainbow (or 무지개) but I could be wrong.

[traxxe]

One of my students is North Korean. She is an adjumma and taking Nursing. She is one of the most terrible students I have ever had but I'll let her pass for life experience reasons. Or so the university informed me.

Anyway I sat down a few hours with her and got her story through a bilingual student. She fled with her family after they were identified as traitors. They entered China and were abused just like in North Korea and they eventually fled to Vietnam. They came here via Vietnam.

[giraffe]

I love north korean documentaries and books... I have about 20 documentaries on my computer about north korea. Very interesting stuff.
I dont follow politics on the matter but im just generally interested in the whole situation. Reading and hearing about stories of survival and what not. VERY interesting subject matter...

[Murakano]

Check out this from CNN

Escape From North Korea - North Korea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0EeXTG4mWw