The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story (42 page)

deeply impressed by Dick Stolp’s kindness 272

sends money to enable Min-young to leave Laos 272

breaks up with Min-young 278

Kim family 6, 150

Kim Il-sung (Great Leader)

and
songbun
system 6

portraits and statues of 8, 16, 17, 18–19, 31, 72, 86–7

praise and veneration for 19, 21–4, 35–6, 49, 210

and ‘life purification time’ 33–4

birthday celebrations 36

as guerrilla fighter 63

death of 71–3

criticisms of 107–9, 173

centenary celebrations 220

Kim Ji-hae
see
Park Min-young

Kim Jong-il (Dear Leader) 17, 18

and ‘life purification time’ 33–4

birthday celebrations 35–6

and fortune-tellers 41–2

praise and veneration for 49, 210

reaction to famine and destitution 83

unwilling to give up nuclear weapons programme 108

orders crackdown on Hyesan traders 147

encourages directness of speech 213

congratulated by Laos on his birthday 251

death of 289

Kim Jong-suk (mother of Kim Jong-il) 17, 21, 49

Kim Jong-un (son of Kim Jong-il) 289

Kim, Reverend 222–3, 244, 262

Kim Weon-joong (South Korean singer) 54–5

Korea Central Television 58

Korean People’s Army 50

Korean State Railway 3–4, 37–8, 41, 83–4, 85

Korean War 6, 7, 16, 107–8, 161, 173

Koreatown
see
Longbai; Xita (West Pagoda)

Kunming 223, 244, 256, 263

Laos 246–7, 250–1, 252–3

LG 214

Li River 244

Liaoning Province 106

Longbai (Koreatown, Shanghai) 156–8, 184

Luang Namtha (Laos) 250, 252–3, 258

Luang Namtha Prison (Laos) 256–8, 261–2, 265

Lujiazui 157

Min-ho 9, 18

birth and registration 29

meets his paternal grandparents 29–30

train journey to Hyesan 37–8

taken out for the day by his mother 44

as half-brother to Min-young 45

character and description 46, 63–4, 222

given a Game Boy video game by his father 60

reaction to death of his father 68

finds a thief in the house 86

illegally crosses the river into China 89–90

unhappy at Min-young crossing the river 95

meets Min-young at Mr Ahn’s house 147–9

takes cash from Min-young’s bag 151

speaks to Min-young by cellphone 166–7, 193

placed under surveillance 169

imprisoned and released for receiving items from Min-young 179–81

leaves Hyesan to live with Aunt Pretty 181

meets and falls in love with Yoon-ji 209, 221–2

as successful smuggler and businessman 221–2

agrees to help mother escape from Hyesan 222

eventful but safe escape to Changbai 228–31

lives with Yoon-ji’s parents before their wedding 231

makes agonizing decision not to return to Hyesan 232–5

realizes he will not see Yoon-ji again 232–3, 234–5, 285

acquires Chinese ID 237–8

eventful road journey to Kunming 241–4

taken to Laos by broker 244–8

captured and imprisoned in Laos 248, 250, 252–3, 255–8, 263–5, 272–6

arrival in South Korea 276

taken to Hanawon 277–8

first experience of freedom in Seoul 279

struggles to adjust to new life 281, 283, 284–5

wants to bring Yoon-ji to South Korea 284

dislikes Brian 288

attends university and speaks English 293

makes friends with Brian 293

Min-young
see
Park Min-young

Ministry of State Security (North Korea)
see Bowibu

Miss Ma 124–7

Morangak restaurant (Shanghai) 161

mother

visits her brother in Pyongyang 3–4

description and character 4, 14, 19, 20

love and courtship 4–5, 7

family background 6–7

birth and childhood 8–9

birth of Min-young (Kim Ji-hae) 8

marriage and divorce to an official 8–9, 45

marriage to her first love 9–10, 13–14, 45

superstitious nature of 12, 58

importance of family to 13

siblings 13–14

regrets leaving Hyesan 16

cleaning of portraits 17–18

accused of wearing trousers in public 19

good at bribery 19, 169, 181–2, 217

avoids being sociable 20

loyalty of 23–4

picnic amongst pine trees 25

haunted by hanging of woman 28–9

pregnant with Min-ho 28

redecorates family houses 31–2, 39, 57, 58

memorable train journey to Hyesan 37–8

as entrepreneur 41

takes Min-Young to a fortune-teller 41–3

visits fortune-tellers 41–3, 168

called ugly by schoolboys 48–9

worries about her husband 62, 64

reaction to husband’s arrest, release and subsequent death 65–70

witnesses famine and destitution 79–80, 84–5

tries to prevent Min-young crossing to China 91

warns Min-young not to return from Shenyang 110, 111–12

reports Min-young missing 111–12, 169–70

placed under surveillance 169, 217

enquires about selling crystal methamphetamine 170–1

imprisoned and released for receiving items from Min-young 180–1

escape and return to Hyesan 181–2, 217

unhappy that Min-young wants to go to South Korea 185–6, 191

in hospital having scalded herself 193

learns of safe arrival in Seoul of Min-young 209

refuses to leave Hyesan 218

decides to leave Hyesan 220–1

eventful but safe escape to Changbai 228–31

eventful road journey to Kunming 241–4

taken to Laos by broker 244–8

captured and imprisoned in Laos 248, 250, 252–3, 255–8, 263–5, 272–6

arrival in South Korea 276

taken to Hanawon 277–8

first impressions of freedom in Seoul 279–80

struggles to adjust to new life 281–4

dislikes Brian 288

travels to America and orders coffee in English 293

unhappy at leaving her family in North Korea 293

Mount Paektu 11, 21, 63, 108

Mount Tonghung 31

National Intelligence Service (Seoul) 199, 201, 276

National Police Agency (Seoul) 212

North Korea

best years of 5

caste system
see songbun

colonial period 11

intrusion of the State into the home 17–19

bribery in 19–20, 24, 40

informers and vigilantes 19, 23, 34, 38, 55, 59, 72–3, 181, 182

education 21–4, 32–4, 36, 49–53

ideological indoctrination 21–4, 32–3, 51–2, 62–3, 220

trials and executions 27–9, 73–4, 147, 220

pollution 31, 37

communist central planning system 32

‘life purification time’ (self-criticism) 33–4, 73

communist youth movement 34–6

poverty 36

quotas for donations 36–7

officials 37–8

kindness to strangers in 38

markets 40–1

fortune-tellers and spiritual beliefs 41–2

selling rice in 41

accordion playing in 43

importance of family 47

propaganda 50, 77, 82–3

mass games 51–2

effect of outside world on 55–6

property ownership 57

as closed country 58–9

prison camps 66–7

mobilization of 77–8

famine in 79–87, 217–18, 220, 289

travel and travel permits 83–5, 86–7

career prospects 88–9

tyranny in 150, 181–2

defections from 171–2, 173–4, 288–9

official name for 198

directness of speech in 213

importance of loyalty and social status 213–14

lack of awareness of human rights in 288–9

reunification with South Korea 290–1

Now on My Way to Meet You
(TV programme) 288, 292

Ok-hee

admits to having false ID 165

becomes great friend of Min-young 165

considers moving to South Korea 174–5, 181

given an apartment in Seoul 209

meets up with Min-young in Seoul 212–13

experiences a job interview 213

discusses use of brokers 223

introduces Min-young to PSCORE organization 286

Ok-liu-gwon (noodle restaurant) 87

Park Min-young

love for her country ix–xi

birth of 8

discovers her true parentage 10

name changed from Kim Ji-hae 10

nearly killed by a train 12

interested in fashion 14, 48, 49, 76–7, 90, 161

strict upbringing 14, 17

childhood in Anju 18–19, 20, 25–6

pet dog 20, 26

education 21–6, 32–4, 48–53, 71, 75, 88–9

ideological indoctrination of 21–4, 48, 49–52

meets her paternal grandparents 29–30

self-criticism sessions 33–4, 73

enters the Young Pioneer Corps 34–6

and the red shoes 35–6

memorable train journey to Hyesan 37–8

visits fortune-tellers 41–3, 154

told her true paternal parentage 44–7

relationship with Min-ho 46, 69–70

relationship with her step-father 47, 53

suffers from nightmares 50, 114, 130, 207, 209

enjoys reading 52

loses everything in house fire xiii–xiv, 53

listens to pop music 54–5, 77, 90, 109–10

watches television illegally 58–9, 90

given a doll by her step-father 60

disaffection and non-conformity 61–4

joins the Socialist Youth League 62–3, 77–8

hears distressing family story 65–6

reaction to her father’s release and subsequent death 67–70, 107

sexual ignorance 75–6

witnesses famine and destitution 79–86

visits relations in Pyongyang 86–7

tastes Western food for the first time 87

crosses the river to Changbai 89–92, 96–7

wishes to be an accordion player 89

friendship with young river guard 93–7

visits Mr Ahn 101–3

visits paternal relations in Shenyang 105–10

refuses to believe criticisms of her country and the Great Leader 107–9

adopts the name Chae Mi-ran 109

enjoys life in Shenyang 109–10

warned not to return to Hyesan 110, 111–15

learns Mandarin 112–13, 163

caught up in wedding plans 116, 117–21

adopts the name Jang Soon-hyang 120, 128–31

escapes from unwanted wedding 121–2

taken to a dubious salon 123–6

escapes from salon 126–7

works in restaurants 128–31, 143, 156–9

apologizes to her aunt for running away 131

apologizes to Mrs Jang for abandoning the wedding 131–2

turns down possibility of moving to South Korea 133–4

makes friends with fugitive North Korean girl 135–6

arrest and interrogation 136, 137–41

survives an attack 141, 142–3

makes plans to contact her family 143–5

meets her brother at Mr Ahn’s house 147–9

held captive by gang demanding money 149, 150–3

catches a train to Shanghai 154, 155–6

health of 154, 175–6

acquires an ID in China 157–8

adopts the name Chae In-hee 157, 160

adopts the name Park Sun-ja 159, 160

works as interpreter and secretary 160–3, 183

recognized as Soon-hyang from Shenyang 163–5

re-connects with her family by cell-phone 166–71

sense of identity 168, 217

asks help from South Korean Embassy in Vientiane 169–72

considers going to South Korea 174–5, 185–8

suffers from loneliness and depression 175–6, 217–18

tries to send items to her family in Hyesan 177–81

falls in love with Kim 183–5, 187–8

tells Kim her true story 189–90

video chats with Shin-suh 191–2

flies to Seoul 192–3

hears that her mother is in hospital 193

arrival and investigation in South Korea 197–201, 204–7

held in detention with several North Korean women 202–4

attends lectures on life in South Korea 210–11

given an apartment in Seoul 211, 212–13

encounters social and educational difficulties 215–16

enrols in tax accountancy course 215

decides to study for University entrance 218, 219

adopts the name Hyeonseo ix, 219

borrows aunt’s ID card for her mother 224–5

waits unsuccessfully for her mother in Changbai 225–7

decides to help her mother to escape 232–3

distracts guard by taking photos 238–40

eventful road journey to Kunming 241–4

negotiates with Mr Fang the broker 244–7, 250

travels to Laos to rescue her family 250–3

makes friends with Laos immigration officials 254–5

family released with help from tall Australian 255, 258, 259–60

keeps in touch with Kim 255

reunites with her mother in Laos prison 256–7, 258

accused of being a broker 265–6, 267–8

breaks up with Kim 278

makes friends with Brian 286–7, 288

speaks out on behalf of defectors 288–9

invited to speak at international events 290

supports reunification of North and South Korea 290–1

agrees to marry Brian 291

has bouts of self-loathing 292–3

meets Dick Stolp in Australia 292

takes her mother to America 293

Park, Mr (policeman) 210, 212, 218, 225, 267, 293

Park Sun-ja
see
Park Min-young

the Party

membership 7

social provisions 32

on television 59

and pornography 76

People for Successful Corean Reunification (PSCORE) 286

People’s Armed Police (China) 236, 238–9

Phonthong Prison, Laos 273, 274–5

Pochonbo 63

PSCORE
see
People for Successful Corean Reunification

Public Distribution System 32, 40–1, 55–6, 58

Pyongyang 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 14, 41, 66, 87, 169, 251

Pyongyang Okruyugwan restaurant (Jianguao Hotel, Shanghai) 161–3

Red Cross 212

Ri Chang-ho 93–7

Ri Chun-hui 71

Rodong Sinmun
(newspaper) 18