“Living in China, I found out that the bright new world was not for me, not for defectors. My life in North Korea had been OK; suddenly, in China, I had to feed myself and earn money. Worst of all, North Korean defectors are hunted by the government.”

North Korean defector and activist

Lee Hyeon-seo is a North Korean defector and activist based in Seoul, South Korea. She is best known for her book, The Girl with Seven Names. She escaped North Korea and later helped guide her family out of the country through China and Laos. Her public work centers on defection, survival, and the difficult choices faced by people leaving North Korea.