Real Reason North Korea Won't Let its People Leave

Desperate to escape, a select few take their lives into their own hands, risking it all to escape Kim Jong Un’s grasp so they can start new lives in other countries. Defections reached a peak of 2,914 in 2009. From there, it all started going downhill. Watch now to see how the only people to escape North Korea made it out in 2023!

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[乂]

This is a reminder of how fortunate we are to have our freedoms.

[adengo]

not even his dead father was left behind...respect

[GratefulPrimate]

If North Korea allowed their people to leave, EVERYONE WOULD LEAVE.
There's no fun being a dictator with no citizens to subjugate

[k.c.]

This is insane. Digging up his father’s body, burning it to ashes, mapping out a field full of landmines. This should tell everyone how horrible it is and how determined people are to leave North Korea.

[devonam]

Had a N Korean friend telling me stories how they would soak their food in water to make them feel fuller… I’ve been humbled!

[brittlemons]

My heart seriously breaks for the people who live there. No one should live like this.

[bigcity]

When you make your people's lives so miserable they want to leave....you're a poor excuse of a leader.

[DMBLaan]

So true story, my family comes from North Korea, though when they left it was much easier than it is now. They came over with my Great Grandparents and their kids, one of which is my Grandma. This was decades ago, though, shortly after the separation of North and South Korea I believe. My Great Grandfather was a Christian Pastor, so you can imagine he wasn't popular in the North. He was arrested and spent many years in one of their camps. Only released after much work from my Great Grandma. They eventually made their way to the South, and after my mom was born, her and my Grandma moved to the US, followed by my Great Grandfather. Though I still have many relatives still in South Korea today. I've only been there once, but I'd love to go back sometime.

[zackvoss]

Doesn't want them leaving because they know they'll never come back

[dtvt]

THIS SHOULD BE AN AWARD WINNING MOVIE IDEA.... The script is already there just get the perfect actors and director... Man this story is beautiful... I hope the message spreads..

[smileyattitude]

Getting sent back there after escaping would be terrifying

[pamelamays]

America isn't perfect, but it definitely isn't North Korea.

[lorenzjohnjago]

If they let their people go, they will mostly have none left. It's sad like it's a country-sized prison.

[emilyannamanda]

I mean, this is just devastating, I break my heart to think of people who just want a better life for their family to the point where they were willing to go to certain danger, it really makes me want to complain less and donate intelligently to charity

[a_willy_will]

Makes me thank God Every day I’m an American with all this freedom. Praying for the North Korean people

[daveanderson]

6:42 It's difficult to remember now, but back in the 70s and 80s North Korea had a better standard of living than South Korea. The North was propped up by the USSR, and received generous economic aid. When the USSR collapsed, that aid stopped, and North Korea spiralled into destitution.

[israel]

I used to work with a North Korean defector and she was so kind

[edwarddelagarza]

the story about Mr Kim made me smile so glad he got away from that brutal regime with his family. here is hoping they have a long and happy life in south Korea

[Vicki_Benji]

I can't believe we are living in the 21st century, and this is happening to the people in this country.

[pamelamays]

Kim doesn't want the world to know the truth.