South Korea has the highest suicide rate in the world — but for North Korean refugees, the situation is even worse. Their suicide rate is nearly three times higher than that of South Koreans, as first reported by the Korea Institute for National Unification in 2015. Nearly half of North Korean refugee women experience suicidal thoughts, and 18 percent have attempted suicide within the past year, according to a research team led by Boyoung Nam. While dramatic escapes and survival stories capture public attention, a silent crisis unfolds after resettlement: the mental health struggles of North Korean refugees.

On March 1, I will lead a one-hour Freedom Speakers International workshop at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s (HGSE) Alumni of Color Conference (AOCC) to shed light on this issue. This marks my third consecutive year presenting and fourth overall at HGSE AOCC, including the inaugural 2003 conference, where I spoke on education choices in Washington. This year, I will be joined by FSI co-founder Lee Eun-koo and Monroe MBA graduate student Lim Eun-ji.

My presentation this time will focus on how North Korean refugees often remain trapped in invisible struggles even after escaping the physical and psychological oppression of North Korea.

North Koreans often witness executions, endure starvation and suffer brutal abuses, leaving........

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