Defectors from North Korea living in Japan revealing details about the lives they abandoned in their homeland

In a remarkable tale of resilience and determination, a North Korean defector, whose identity remains undisclosed, has become a powerful voice for change in Japan. The man, now a university student in Osaka, shared his story with Mao Sadatsuma, a 21-year-old Japanese student studying Korean.

The man's life took a dramatic turn at the age of six when he was separated from his mother and put up for adoption. By the age of ten, he was forced to quit school and start working, cutting down trees and toiling on farms. His desire to see the world outside North Korea was sparked by South Korean television dramas, which he secretly watched, dreaming of a life beyond the borders of his homeland.

In 2017, the man and a friend crossed the border between North Korea and China, hiding in China and other countries for three months before gaining entry to Japan. The journey was fraught with danger, but the promise of freedom was too great to resist.

Today, the man is involved with an Osaka-based nonprofit addressing North Korean human rights issues. The organisation, Free2move, was founded in March 2024, and it holds sessions for Japanese and South Korean students, as well as other young people, to study North Korean human rights issues. Free2move also produces podcasts featuring defectors and others interested in the issue.

Hong Kyong Ui, the 66-year-old co-leader of Free2move, stated that without international pressure, North Korea will become an increasingly lawless human rights zone. The organisation provides speaking opportunities for North Korean defectors on podcasts and other platforms, giving them a voice to share their experiences and raise awareness about the human rights abuses in North Korea.

The Japanese government generally accepts zainichi Koreans, including second- and third-generation descendants, as a humanitarian measure. However, the policy is based on the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and other laws governing the residency status of third-generation Japanese descendants and others living abroad.

The aging infrastructure left behind from Japan's colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula was often the cause of accidents. Despite these challenges, the man's story serves as a testament to the power of hope and the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity.

Following the success of the 2019-2020 South Korean television series "Crash Landing on You," popular "defector YouTubers" emerged, further raising awareness about the plight of North Korean defectors and their struggles for freedom. The man's journey from a young boy forced to work in North Korea to a university student advocating for human rights in Japan is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of education and the importance of speaking out against injustice.