Hyosim Maeng is a North Korean defector, human rights activist, and advocate for disability rights.
Maeng’s activism is primarily inspired by her mother, who became paraplegic as a young child. As a disabled person living in North Korea, she faced severe discrimination, harassment, and abuse. In 2018, Maeng escaped from North Korea with her parents, her father carrying her mother on his back. Today, as a college student, Maeng is a passionate human rights advocate and public speaker. Her mission extends beyond personal freedom: it encompasses raising global awareness about the struggles of the disabled in North Korea. She works to expose the truth about the way North Korea treats people with disabilities, and the lies it spreads about it through their propaganda machine. Through the organization Freedom Speakers International she has spoken internationally for her cause.
