Han Song-mi

Feb. 17, 2011. The day everything changed. The day I left behind the only life I had ever known. The day I finally chose to take control of my fate.

I never imagined I would have the courage to leave North Korea. After years of hesitation, of rejecting brokers my mother had sent to the countryside of North Korea to try to rescue me, of staying because I was too afraid of the unknown, I suddenly left.

My mother had already escaped to China years earlier. She had tried to rescue me three times. Three times, I had a chance to leave. Three times, I said no.

I had spent years waiting for her to come back for me. I wanted to believe that one day, she would return, and we would be together again. But after six years, I was still waiting.

I didn’t know what kind of life I could have outside of North Korea. And I was worried if my aunt and uncle kicked me out I would be homeless again, but that time, it would be without Mom.

Why did I suddenly decide to escape from North Korea?

That day, I overheard my aunt and........

© The Korea Times