Kim Yumi is a North Korean defector who escaped with eight members of her family to South Korea in 2023.
Born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area, she grew up surrounded by state propaganda and intense surveillance. Living near a naval base, she found rare opportunities to access outside information, secretly watching South Korean news programs and television—an experience that helped her understand the freedoms denied to North Koreans and the truth the regime works to conceal.
In search of a better future, Kim and her husband organized a daring escape for their family by boat in the middle of the night, risking their lives to reach South Korea.
Now living in Seoul, she has founded Lumina, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging cultural divides between the two Koreas through content creation and various initiatives. She is also actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, particularly through her YouTube channel.
Follow Kim Yumi on YouTube
