Lee Hyeon-seo

China is a heaven compared to North Korea.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

History has proved that dictators can't last forever.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

When I was 14, during Kim Il-sung's funeral, I wondered, 'How could a god die?'

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Family is the most important thing: you can't buy them with money.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Due to hate, fear, and oppression, the North Koreans cannot help themselves.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Keeping families and friends divided is unforgivable.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

In North Korea, we learnt all Americans are the enemy; they are not human.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

When I was young, I thought Kim il-Sung or Kim Jong-il is hero.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

We refugees, we become always a punchbag. A political punchbag between China and South Korea and North Korea.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I don't think the North Korean leadership is interested in a genuine deal to end their WMD programs or their stranglehold on…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Kindness towards strangers is rare in North Korea. There is a risk to helping others. The state made accusers and informers of…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

People who live in North Korea, they die for food, but living in the free world, the cat even eats expensive sushi.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

The North Korean regime really can control people. I think they are the best dictator in the whole planet.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I defected to South Korea in search of freedom of speech and movement. I had longed to put my feet on this…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Inside North Korea, we have many informants and spies watching everyone; they're paid by the government. Even a husband and wife can't…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

My family lived under communism their entire lives. When they arrived in South Korea, they didn't even know how to use the…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

We considered the Dear Leader our god. That's huge. He's more than our parents. I thought all of the world respected Kim…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

When I was little, I thought my country was the best on the planet. And I grew up singing a song called…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Because North Korea was so totally cut off, we didn't hear anything of the outside world. We had only one TV channel,…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I did my best to hide by changing my name many times. But I was captured by the Chinese police. But because…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

If defectors say they had high-level connections in Pyongyang or came from an esteemed institution in the North, they can gain better…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

No dictator can last forever. History shows that in the end, people around the dictator bring about change. Of course, a lot…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I lived near the border with China, and one night, I simply left home and walked across the iced-over river that separated…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

The border crossing is the most dangerous moment for anyone attempting to escape. But my brother and mother had been waved off…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

It was very shocking for me to read newspapers that openly criticised the government in South Korea. That is impossible in North…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Many Chinese criticize me not only on Baidu but on Facebook. Some say, do you think Chinese authorities were stupid enough not…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

From the moment I was born, I was fed propaganda. I viewed the Kim dynasty not only as our fearless protectors from…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

The kindness of strangers and the support of the international community are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Certainly in North Korea, man is always superior to woman. Even the government treats women horribly. What is the slogan? Woman is…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I can't be sure of exactly when and how North Korea will change. But I do believe it will happen, hopefully in…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

My mom told me many times how I need to be careful living inside the regime. We didn't say 'the regime.' We…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

When many Chinese escaped to North Korea during the Cultural Revolution, we embraced them. People in China have forgotten about this.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

My life is not only mine. I am telling the story of all North Korean people; it is my responsibility to tell…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

Even after arriving in South Korea, it's dangerous. As a North Korean defector, I need to be careful from the spies to…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I don't hate the Chinese. We're brothers, and we share a border. I just hate the government, politicians, policies, not the people.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

We were taught North Korea is a heaven. They told us how people in western countries die in hospital or have no…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

I've been so lucky, received so much help and inspiration in my life, so I want to help give aspiring North Koreans…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

North Korean defectors can usually tell when other defectors are lying about their past.

— Lee Hyeon-seo

In communism, we never had any freedom - of movement, of speech, of press. We didn't even make own decisions for our…

— Lee Hyeon-seo

It was really tiring always pretending to be someone else. Not my life, not my real name, nothing.

— Lee Hyeon-seo