Jihyun Park is a North Korean two-time escapee, a human rights activist, and the co-author of Deux Coréennes.
After losing her father and uncle to a famine, Ms. Park escaped North Korea. In the process, however, she found herself trapped in a human trafficking ring where she was sold into a forced marriage. During this time, she gave birth to a son.
When her son was 5 years old, Park was arrested and deported back to North Korea. She was then placed in a forced labor camp where she was tortured and developed a near-deadly case of gangrene. Jihyun bravely escaped for a second time, reuniting with her son and eventually seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.
Today, as a human rights activist, she exemplifies tremendous courage as she advocates for the rights of North Korean women and children.
Her work continues to place her in danger on a daily basis. She was the winner of the NatWest Chairman’s Award AWA in 2018, the Amnesty Brave Award 2020, and the Han Won Chae Human Rights Award in 2021.
Ms. Park lives in the U.K. with her family.Â
