--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's nothing I did wrong. I was just…" description: "\"There's nothing I did wrong. I was just born in North Korea, and that was my crime.\" — Park Yeon-mi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/park-yeon-mi-5169_born_there-s-nothing-i-did-wrong-i-was-just-b_1069351.jpg" --- # There's nothing I did wrong. I was just born in North… ![“There's nothing I did wrong. I was just born in North Korea, and that was my crime.” quote by Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/park-yeon-mi-5169_born_there-s-nothing-i-did-wrong-i-was-just-b_1069351.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/park-yeon-mi-5169_born_there-s-nothing-i-did-wrong-i-was-just-b_1069351.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/311/park-yeon-mi-5169_born_there-s-nothing-i-did-wrong-i-was-just-b_1069351.jpg) > “There's nothing I did wrong. I was just born in North Korea, and that was my crime.” [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being born in North Korea is presented as a crime, highlighting systemic oppression. **In simple terms:** Birthplace can unjustly define guilt. Key Takeaway Challenge unjust systems that punish innocence. Themes oppression identity justice human rights Mood somber determined Type activist personal When to use this quote - advocacy work - education campaigns - legal assistance - personal storytelling Key Concepts Totalitarianism social stigma political asylum Questions to Reflect On - How can you support those unfairly judged by birth? - What actions can dismantle oppressive narratives? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on origin may overlook individual agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north/) [North korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korea/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) ## Related quotes > [Not that I ever did anything wrong. I was just aggressive. That's the way I am in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/not-that-i-ever-did-anything-wrong-i-was-just-aggressive-that-s-the/) [Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/) > [It seems not to matter that we are at the brink of a war that may spread beyond Afghanistan and Iraq to Iran and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schiff/it-seems-not-to-matter-that-we-are-at-the-brink-of-a-war-that-may/) [Richard Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schiff/) > [But, in North Korea, it's just the opposite. There's one story. It's written by the Kim regime. And 23 million people are conscripted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-johnson/but-in-north-korea-it-s-just-the-opposite-there-s-one-story-it-s/) [Adam Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-johnson/) > [When George W. Bush came into office, North Korea had maybe one nuclear weapon and verifiably wasn't producing any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/when-george-w-bush-came-into-office-north-korea-had-maybe-one-nuclear/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [History is full of examples of regimes that were oppressing at home and aggressive abroad, and I can't think of too many liberal democracies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-royce/history-is-full-of-examples-of-regimes-that-were-oppressing-at-home/) [Ed Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-royce/) > [“Your enemy is not in North Korea or Syria, it is your own corporate controlled government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/your-enemy-is-not-in-north-korea-or-syria-it-is-your-own-corporate/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [All of North Korea is a jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-young-sam/all-of-north-korea-is-a-jail/) [Kim Young-sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-young-sam/) > [If we are addressing the issue of weapons of mass destruction, we need to send a uniform, consistent message that there is zero tolerance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/if-we-are-addressing-the-issue-of-weapons-of-mass-destruction-we-need/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [If we are to assume that North Korea becomes a nuclear-power state, of course the danger of having an all-out nuclear war, that possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-myung-bak/if-we-are-to-assume-that-north-korea-becomes-a-nuclear-power-state-of/) [Lee Myung-bak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-myung-bak/) > [Occasionally, the horrors of life in North Korea do show up in our American satire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armintrout/occasionally-the-horrors-of-life-in-north-korea-do-show-up-in-our/) [Jennifer Armintrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armintrout/) > [A nuclear program has arguably worked as a deterrent for North Korea and other states - would Moammar Gadhafi have been deposed and summarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/a-nuclear-program-has-arguably-worked-as-a-deterrent-for-north-korea/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [The $52.6 billion U.S. intelligence arsenal is aimed mainly at unambiguous adversaries, including al-Qaida, North Korea and Iran. But top-secret budget documents reveal an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/the-52-6-billion-u-s-intelligence-arsenal-is-aimed-mainly-at/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [I've been arguing this for months. This is not our war. This is not a war we should be in. Australia's better spending its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hewson/i-ve-been-arguing-this-for-months-this-is-not-our-war-this-is-not-a/) [John Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hewson/) > [In the past, I've visited remote places - North Korea, Ethiopia, Easter Island - partly as a way to visit remote states of mind:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/in-the-past-i-ve-visited-remote-places-north-korea-ethiopia-easter/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [“The most dangerous thing to the USA population is not North Korea, it is the USA government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-most-dangerous-thing-to-the-usa-population-is-not-north-korea-it/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Park Yeon-mi > [Risking your life is not an easy thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/risking-your-life-is-not-an-easy-thing-to-do/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Going to Columbia, the first thing I learned was 'safe space.' Every problem, they explained us, is because of white men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/going-to-columbia-the-first-thing-i-learned-was-safe-space-every/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-was-a-slave-i-was-sold-in-china-in-2007-as-a-child-at-13-years-old/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My mum was sold for $65 and I was sold for $260 - at the age of 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-mum-was-sold-for-65-and-i-was-sold-for-260-at-the-age-of-13/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [If there is no word that means you don't have the concept. In North Korea they eliminate the words: depression, stress, dictatorship, human rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/if-there-is-no-word-that-means-you-don-t-have-the-concept-in-north/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My favorite movies were 'Titanic,' 'James Bond' and 'Pretty Woman' - people smuggled in pirate copies from China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-favorite-movies-were-titanic-james-bond-and-pretty-woman-people/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Kim Jong-un and the regime don't just oppress - they play with human lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/kim-jong-un-and-the-regime-don-t-just-oppress-they-play-with-human/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My father died without knowing even this kind of democracy exists in the world. He didn't even know this much food was available in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-father-died-without-knowing-even-this-kind-of-democracy-exists-in/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [That is what is happening in America. People see things, but still they've just completely lost the ability to think critically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/that-is-what-is-happening-in-america-people-see-things-but-still-they/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a religion. We are told that Kim is a god and that he knows what you are thinking and how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-religion-we-are-told-that-kim-is-a-god-and-that-he/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I had to be very unrealistic about my situation. If I was so realistic I would never have made it this far. So, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-had-to-be-very-unrealistic-about-my-situation-if-i-was-so-realistic/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I thought North Koreans were the only people who hated Americans, but turns out there are a lot of people hating this country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-thought-north-koreans-were-the-only-people-who-hated-americans-but/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Back in 2014, at the One Young World Summit in Dublin, I shared my story of my escape from North Korea to China in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/back-in-2014-at-the-one-young-world-summit-in-dublin-i-shared-my/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a very Confucius country. We respect the elders, the hierarchy. It's not like America where anyone can step up and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-very-confucius-country-we-respect-the-elders-the/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Everything in North Korea was about the leader, all the books, music and TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/everything-in-north-korea-was-about-the-leader-all-the-books-music/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) [Explore all 103 Park Yeon-mi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## More Born quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [If you can believe it, Hollywood wanted to change my birthdate. I was born after Valentine's Day, so they wanted to change it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/if-you-can-believe-it-hollywood-wanted-to-change-my-birthdate-i-was/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) Browse all 11,606 Born quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's nothing I did wrong. 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