Original subtitles

=== Hardcoded Subtitles To Soft Subtitles === By Andrebavila

The Yalu River is the border between China and North Korea.

And my hometown, a place I grew up believing was Utopia

is on the border, right across from China.

***

The night I left my home country, more than 20 years ago

military border guards were patrolling

and one of them was my friend.

He was super handsome

and I think he liked me

but at the time I was too young to notice that.

I asked my friend to help me cross the border.

The river was covered with snow, white snow everywhere.

It was so dark

but I saw the moon and the stars

I never knew

who is God

what is God

but when I was crossing the border

I was staring at the sky

My legs were trembling.

Somehow I prayed.

I don't know to who. I said, "Please, just help me."

And I just kept walking.

BEYOND UTOPIA

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Hello.

Hello, Pastor.

I got word that seven defectors were caught in China and sent back to the North.

Yes, in Shenyang. They were caught because North Korea had planted a bug in a child's toy

Crossing the border from North Korea isn't the hardest part right now.

Once defectors enter China it's extremely dangerous.

Yes, and they're checking everyone's Resident Identity Cards.

But we can't tell people not to escape.

Yes. I'll try to reach our network.

Okay, thank you.

On the right is China

and on the left is the river and North Korea.

When defectors cross the river

they need to immediately climb the mountains on the right.

So is this near Changbai Mountain?

Yes. This is Changbai Mountain.

But look. Here's a barbed-wire fence.

And here's a military post.

They used to be just one floor high. Now they're two stories so the guards can see further.

From the highest point

they can see the Yalu River below.

When Kim Jong-Un came into power, he made defecting a traitorous act.

After that, soldiers began receiving awards and vacation-time for killing people trying to escape.

So now they shoot people trying to sneak across the river.

And look, do you see this?

Cameras are installed in both directions along the border.

We are trying to save lives

so we need to monitor the situation at the border.

For this, we keep cameras hidden in the area

and our people film from China, across the Yalu and Tumen rivers.

We also send cameras inside the country.

How do you deal with that logistically?

For shooting inside, we can't use this.

The North Korean mobiles have a memory chip.

So our people film inside the North and then smuggle the memory chip out

and give it to our contacts in China.

And of course they are risking their lives.

If they are caught, their entire family will be killed.

But in order to be as safe as possible, we must understand the situation

with both the Chinese police and the North Korean border patrols.

What routes are best?

Where is it safest to cross the river? We have to ask these questions.

***

***

Pastor!

Thank you for coming.

Please take a seat.

This is my first time visiting your church.

I've only talked to you desperately over the phone.

So, let's talk about your son.

Yes.

The brokers contacted me from North Korea.

They plan to take him across the border on the night of the 22nd.

But honestly, there is heavy surveillance in China right now. I was asked to do this with very little notice

so I want to make sure you understand the risks.

Of course. I understand.

And although I'm most worried about him being caught in China

I'm also concerned about rising water levels on the Yalu River.

Yes, we're actively monitoring this.

I'll call our lead broker now.

Hello?

Hello, Mr. Hwang.

Yes.

The boy who's escaping from the North...

Yes.

His mother is here right now.

Yes.

How is the water level on the Yalu?

It's high because of the rains

But then couldn't it be dangerous for the boy?

It could, but the North Korean broker still wants to cross on the 22nd.

Have you talked to the border guards?

Yes. I checked everything and the car is also ready.

Okay, I would like to ask you one more time...

The Changbai Mountain border area is extremely dangerous right now

Yes, I haven't seen anything like this in 10 years.

Yes, please be careful.

Of course. If the North Korean brokers decide it's safer to delay crossing, we are ready to switch the date.

Imagine waking up one day and realizing

that you were born on a completely different planet

and everything you learned was a lie

and your country's history was so fabricated and everyone around you was so brainwashed

and the heroes you worshipped we're actually monstrous villains.

This is like the plot to a science fiction novel

but it's the insane reality for North Koreans like me.

Do you remember anything where you felt free

when you were a kid?

There is no freedom of religion.

There is no freedom of thought, there is no freedom of press.

There is only one paper, one radio station,

there is one TV station.

North Korea may be the only country in the world

that completely bans outside broadcasts.

They want people to be deaf and blind.

That's how the regime stays in power.

And spying on one another

is very much a part of life in North Korea.

You cannot move from a place to place without getting a permit.

I would call the entire country of North Korea really a prison.

And it's strangest country in the world.

It is the only communist, Confucian,

hereditary dynasty in the world.

And Kim Jong-Un has been very busy

getting rid of any potential threat.

Within one year, he got rid

of his number-two man in North Korea,

his uncle who helped him garner power.

He dragged him out and publicly killed him.

Then he assassinated his half-brother

in a major international airport using banned WMD.

Then he got rid of about 400 top officials.

We're now onto maybe 90th Defense Minister, I lost count.

Senior officials have been executed

by the use of anti-aircraft guns.

If you shoot a human using artillery

which is designed to take down planes,

you can imagine the effect on the body.

The only reason to do that is for the fear

that that will put into the people

that are gathered and made to watch.

It's been 10 years since I've seen my son.

I was in the army in North Korea.

When I left the army, I was sent to a coal mine.

I discovered that we had to dig with our bare hands because there were no tools.

Hunger was unbearable.

I heard that some women were making money by smuggling things over the river from China.

I took my son to school and was planning to cross the river that night.

But after school, he ran up to me on the street.

I said I would be back in two nights

and that I would return with a lot of money and cook him a lot of food.

It was almost dark and it was windy. I told him to go home to his grandmother.

That was the last time I saw him.

That night, I was arrested by North Korean soldiers while crossing the river.

After spending two years in a prison camp

I was released but I was not able to get work

because my status had been degraded.

I couldn't have contact with anyone, including my son.

Finally I decided I needed to defect again.

I crossed the river again and eventually made it to South Korea.

I've been trying to bring my son since then, but his father always refused.

My son is now 17 years old.

He is a talented artist and I hope he can study here and pursue his dream.

I bought a lot of clothes for my son.

For his safety, he needs to look South Korean when he travels through China.

I don't know what color my son likes so I just bought my favorite colors.

I bought these clothes, but I wonder if they will even fit him.

I don't know his size.

I don't know how big he has become.

The North Korean authorities want people to live in a constant state of fear.

We are now holding a public trial.

Choi Hyeok, an Accounting student. was caught watching South Korean films.

He will now be judged by the Party and the public.

Are you admitting to your crime?

Yes!

Sometimes schools cancelled their classes

and the students were forced to watch public executions.

These prisoners have helped people illegally defect the country.

Do you remember how old you were

when you first saw a public execution?

Seven.

When I was seven.

A man was hanged by his neck under a railroad bridge.

Defendant Park Myung-gil is to be executed.

Defendant Choi Je-yong is to be executed.

Shoot!

Victims of extermination

murder, enslavement and torture.

People whose loved ones disappeared

without trace.

People who have been deliberately starved.

Forced abortions, sterilization, rape,

I mean, torture of the defectors who get caught and returned.

You'd better tell me the truth!

Otherwise I'll kill you!

The Chinese government has a hard-line policy of,

if they find North Korean refugees,

arresting them and detaining them

and then forcibly sending them back to North Korea

where they will face investigation, torture,

and a range of harsh punishments.

Sometimes people will die through torture

and there's no recourse for North Korean citizens,

for their families to complain about that.

United Nations came out

with a 400-page report couple of years ago that says

"North Korea's Human Rights violations

is unparalleled in contemporary history."

The only parallel they could come up with is Nazi Germany.

***

***

Hello.

Hello, Pastor.

Yes.

We have five people stuck near the border.

They all just escaped from North Korea.

There's an older woman around 80,

her daughter and son-in-law, and their two children.

The older woman's other son and daughter

already escaped to South Korea.

They are in a very bad situation.

Can I give the son your number?

Yes, I'll talk to him.

His name is Wu Hyukchang.

I see.

- Wu Hyukchang? - Yes.

Our contact found the family wandering on Changbai Mountain

and sent me a video of them.

Saving an entire family would be good but five people can be very difficult.

Okay, Pastor. I'm sending you the video.

Yes, thank you.

After wandering in the mountains for five days, luckily we found these people

but there are soldiers around and we could be caught at any time.

Pastor, I beg for your help.

Please help us to live.

North Korea has borders with China, Russia and South Korea.

The border with South Korea contains an estimated 2 million landmines

so most defectors have no choice but to flee into China

over a border that stretches more than 800 miles along the river.

But even if they make it across

defectors still have to travel thousands of miles through several countries before they reach safety.

Any young females often end up being sold into video sex-chatting in China

or sold into prostitution

or sold to unmarried men in the countryside.

Drugs, human trafficking...

Defectors really suffer a lot.

***

Use this...

Put this on the ground...

Sit on it.

Grandma...

Mom, it hurts.

You need to eat this to be able to walk.

Grandma...

But you can't sell an 80-year-old grandmother for video chatting or prostitution

and here, a husband and wife escaped together.

And then there are young children.

The truth is, this family is not valuable for most traffickers.

In these instances, the brokers often contact Christian organizations and say...

"We'll give you these people in exchange for money."

There are baby onions in here.

***

And I'll make corn noodles.

That's good.

I'll boil these and make a delicious broth.

I was contacted about a group asking for help but China has a lot of checkpoints right now.

I'm not sure what to do.

My eyes!

I have to hold these far away, they're so strong!

You can't only use emotion when deciding what to do.

I'm not sure it's a good time for action.

Yes, but they won't live unless someone helps them.

I'll speak to the church board to see if they'll approve funding for the rescue.

When I was studying to be a pastor more than 22 years ago

my mentor pastor and I went to China for missionary work.

We were right across the river from North Korea.

My first day there, I saw several kotjebis. (North Korean homeless children)

Before then, I hadn't thought much about the North Korean people

that we are the same people, who speak the same language.

But seeing those kids who were only 5 and 6 years old...

to see them cross that river of death to beg from us

it broke my heart.

And I suddenly thought, "I should try to help as much as I can."

Back then, crossing the border wasn't as difficult as it is now

and a North Korean army commander who later became my wife, happened to cross the river at that time.

I then met her at the missionary center in China.

In North Korea, every man was weak and skinny. There were no fat men.

So when I saw Pastor Kim

my first words were, "Oh, you look like Kim Jong-Il!"

With his belly bulging out and the same height!

She thought I looked like Kim Jong-Il, North Korea's dictator at that time

because I had a belly and I was short.

We thought everything about General Kim Jong-Il was great.

The jackets he wore, his fashion. We loved all of it.

Whenever we thought something was cool we would call it, "Kim Jong-Il".

My wife fell for me and asked me out.

Yeah, I fell for him.

So in order to save my wife

I had to figure out how to get her to South Korea.

First I had to get her to a safe country.

I thought about many possibilities.

Should I try to take her through Mongolia?

Or should I take her to Thailand through Myanmar and Cambodia?

Or should I try to get a boat and enter South Korea secretly?

I investigated everything.

And all the things I learned when trying to help my wife

opened up opportunities for me to help many North Korean defectors.

In North Korea, we would never throw this water away.

In fact, these noodles and water would feed a family for a week.

Thinking of North Korea, I won't throw the water away today.

I will cool it down and drink it like tea.

***

Hey, good to meet you.

***

Please sit.

I don't know very much about your family's situation

Can you tell me something about them?

Yes.

I defected to South Korea two years ago.

I then brought my daughter and my older sister here last November.

But because we defected, the North Korean government

decided to forcefully relocate my mother and my younger sister.

The correct word would be "exiled" but they don't use that here

I know what you mean. You're saying your family was going to be banished.

It's essentially a death sentence.

Because of this, they fled across the river without a plan.

When my older sister heard this, she became extremely stressed.

She had a reaction resulting in facial paralysis and she's now hospitalized in Seoul.

Even if we're here with enough to eat

we feel we committed a crime against our family in North Korea.

For them, dying is the same

whether it be in North Korea or while escaping together.

I understand your situation

and we will try to rescue your family.

You said your sister is in the hospital.

As late as it is, let's drive to Seoul.

Thank you so much.

I've earned many scars in my work with defectors

but I never thought my health would deteriorate so much.

While helping people cross the river one winter

I slipped on the ice and broke my neck.

I was sure I was going to die.

The surgery was nine and a half hours.

Now I have seven metal rods in my neck.

I've had surgeries on my neck, hip and back.

My wife says my outer appearance is an A+

but I'm all bruised up inside.

When I was 17,

the North Korean Security Department

accused my older brother of working as a South Korean spy.

My brother was never released. We are sure he's dead.

After that, I couldn't get a job anywhere in North Korea.

I was shunned for being the brother of a spy.

This is my first time seeing the night lights in Seoul.

Is that so?

Yes.

***

Sister!

This is the Pastor.

Hello.

Please save our family!

Let's move away from the hospital. My contact near the border is waiting for our call.

It's very dark.

Because we are outside.

Can you shine the flashlight?

There we go.

That's good.

Oh there they are!

Sister, please help us.

It's a miracle you're all alive.

But we'll be killed if we are sent back.

That's right.

Getting caught at the border means death.

We are helpless. We have no idea what to do.

I feel like I'm going crazy.

There's our mother.

Mom, please be strong.

Hang on, Mom.

Please don't cry.

We need to hang up. It's dangerous to be on the phone this long.

Please try and stay safe.

Auntie, help us.

I will try to get someone there in a few days

but we need to hang up now.

***

Hello?

Son?

Hello?

Why isn't the broker helping?

- Hello? - Yes, Son.

How have you been?

- Hello? - Hello?

Bad signal...

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me?

I can hear you!

Good.

You're going to start in a few days.

Okay.

The journey will be very tough.

It's okay. It's a journey that leads to you, Mother, so I can endure anything.

So you feel ready?

I do.

But Mother, try not to worry too much.

Okay.

We will see each other soon, okay?

- Yes. - Yes. But we shouldn't stay on long.

Yes...

Okay...

***

***

***

***

We just heard that North Korea contacted China about my family.

The Chinese police will now crack down on areas within 50 km of the Yalu River.

If anyone finds these five defectors and reports them

they could receive a reward of about 15,000 Yuan.

In that remote area of China, that's equal to about six months of wages.

So if brokers see this as a one-off, it's much more lucrative to report on us.

But everyone in our network knows if they report on us even once

their relationship with us is over for good.

So does anybody along the way...

brokers in all the countries, do they care about the actual defectors?

Not at all.

They don't care at all.

Because in the end they don't view them as people.

They view them as money.

Right now we need to move Hyukchang's family from where they are staying

and take them higher up Changbai Mountain.

Broker: Let's go.

Oh, my foot! It hurts!

Are you okay?

She's bleeding.

It's okay. You can handle this.

Let's endure and keep going.

My leg really hurts.

I know it's hard but endure it.

North Korea began monitoring my family right after I defected.

They were watched by their neighbors, by the local people's unit, by the state security agents.

We never imagined they'd be able to escape.

The children were even monitored by their teachers at school.

Then, last month, North Korea decided to banish anyone with family members who had defected.

We discovered my mother and sister were on that list.

September 13th was Chuseok Day (Korean Thanksgiving)

a day when North Koreans visit their ancestors in the mountains.

Even state security agents go to the mountains, so the monitoring is loosened.

My mother, sister, brother-in-law, and their children held a memorial service on the mountain.

After performing ancestral rites

our family fled without turning back.

When I was young, we never learned much about the outside world

except that America, South Korea and Japan are the enemies.

In 1910, the expanding Japanese empire

colonized what was then a unified Korea.

It was a very brutal colonization.

Over the next 35 years,

the Korean culture and the Korean language

were nearly eradicated.

At the end of World War II, when Japan surrendered,

they lost the empire that they had been building.

Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world.

Part of the settlement deal was that Korea was split.

The 38th parallel

divided the United States Army's area

from that of the Soviet forces.

The idea was that Korea

would shortly come back together

and then have control over their own country.

In the meanwhile, the South held a public election,

and U.S.-educated Syngman Rhee became the first president

of what would become South Korea.

But in the North, Stalin decided to look

for a Soviet sympathizer

as a temporary leader

in what would become North Korea.

And this is where Kim Il-Sung comes in.

Kim Il-Sung had been born in Korea in 1912,

two years after the Japanese occupied the country.

His parents were very involved in anti-Japanese activities,

and when he was just eight years old,

his family moved to Manchuria.

Kim Il-Sung joined the Communist Party in China,

and he eventually actually fought with the Soviet Union

throughout World War II.

Stalin heard about Kim Il-Sung because of his reputation

as a leader of several anti-Japanese guerrilla groups.

When Stalin brought him to Pyongyang,

Kim Il-Sung didn't even speak good Korean.

In fact, his speeches had to be translated into Korean

and then rehearsed by him

because he had basically spoken Chinese

since he was eight years old.

Kim Il-Sung had the dream

of re-unifying the Koreas under Communism.

The American Imperialists have divided our nation.

Expanding upon his guerilla contacts,

he put together an army and eventually got the support

of both Stalin and Mao.

On Sunday, June 25th,

Communist forces attacked

the Republic of Korea.

The attack was so sudden and forceful

that, very quickly, almost all of South Korea was taken.

In fact, there was only a tiny pocket

at the bottom of the country

that had not been claimed by the North.

An act of aggression such as this

must be met with a worldwide defense.

And a UN force containing soldiers

from 21 different countries entered the war.

What ensued was a brutal three-year war.

Nearly five million people died,

half of whom were civilians.

South Korea lost a million civilians

just on their own.

The United States dropped a third

as many bombs on North Korea

as it did in all of World War II.

And in the end, nothing was achieved.

In July of 1953, an armistice was signed

and a ceasefire was put in place.

But technically speaking, the war never ended,

and the ramifications of that are still with us today.

Eliminate the wicked American-Bastards

Eliminate the enemies, the American Jackals.

Eliminate everyone.

In North Korea, we don't have such a word: American.

We only have "American-Bastard."

That's one word: "American-Bastard."

So, in math there are questions like:

Here you see 5 American-Bastards.

The North Korean military killed 2

so how many American-Bastards are left?

3 American-Bastards are left.

We learned that Americans started the Korean War

and that they enjoy killing people.

The American imperialist enemy bastards are like jackals who prey upon good animals.

The bastards are beasts, not humans.

The regime told us that all human scum live in America

so I couldn't imagine there were normal human beings

wearing normal fashions.

Let's put the story we learned into a song and dance together.

American-Bastards who crawled into South Korea

Get out, get out, get out now.

***

I received a call that the North Korean Security Police contacted the Chinese government

and demanded that my son be sent back to North Korea.

In the middle of the night.

When they told me. I said you're lying!

How on earth...

In North Korea, they will go so far as to kill him.

Eventually, my son will beg them to end his life.

I know this because I was beaten like that.

They will beat him up for days and days and force him to say he was heading to South Korea.

If he makes the confession they want, then he will be sent to the concentration camp, Kwan-li-so.

And then

it's over for him.

I have thought about killing myself.

But I realize that I need to stay strong to save my son.

Who else is going to save him?

In order to save my son, I have decided to hire brokers inside North Korea.

I will try to save my son no matter what it takes.

***

***

Our goal right now is to get the family out of China as soon as possible.

If they are caught

we won't be able to recover emotionally from such an immense loss.

Stop for a moment.

She got scratched on her face.

Does it hurt?

Keep it like this.

Time is critical right now.

The family will be picked up around 11 p.m. tomorrow night.

Changbai Mountain to Shenyang has become even more dangerous now

especially with this number of defectors.

Because of this, we've bribed a Chinese police officer in our network

and the family will now travel in a police car all the way to Qingdao.

Hyukchang will meet his family in Qingdao. Two days later we will all fly to Vietnam.

We'll meet them in Vietnam and then head toward the Laotian border.

We will then attempt to cross into Laos illegally. Through the jungle. On foot. At night.

Remember, the family isn't safe in Vietnam or Laos either.

In order for them to be safe, we must get them all the way to Thailand.

***

Hello.

Yes. Hello. You are going to start moving through China in three hours.

Okay.

You should know that some defectors were caught in China three days ago.

so the risks are present.

I understand. We appreciate your help.

I feel like I'm dreaming.

Bye then.

They'll be here soon.

I am so thankful.

In the 80 years of my life...

I can't describe how thankful I am.

Mother, come on, get ready.

We're not walking, are we, Mom?

No, we aren't. They're picking us up.

See if you can hear a car sound.

We have to go this way.

Hurry!

When I was a child, we had economic support from the Soviet Union.

The North Korean government actually gave out (rations).

Eggs, candies, snacks. They were all given to families.

For a while, the North Korean economy

was more successful than China's,

maybe even better than South Korea.

And people pointed, saying,

"Look. Communism really works."

But everything was artificially propped up

by the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc,

and when that collapsed,

North Korea went into a free fall.

In 1994, after Kim Il-Sung died,

Kim Jong-Il made weapons of mass destruction his priority.

This policy prioritized nuclear weapons over everything else,

including the people of North Korea.

Society just collapsed

and around 1994, 1995...

I started seeing people dying on the street.

People became desperate to escape the country.

But in some places the current is so strong

so sometimes I would see dead bodies floating down the river

especially early in the morning.

The North Korean regime will never show the real data

but the outside world estimates that up to three million people died during the famine.

Even today the regime cares about the nuclear program more than the people.

***

Our revolutionary armed forces will deal an annihilating blow that is unpredictable and unavoidable.

Our beloved people have had to tighten their belts and endure tremendous difficulties.

This has been the path to a greater victory.

We can never give up our nuclear weapons.

Kim Jong-Un needs something to protect himself

from being overthrown.

You know, they saw Iraq, they saw Libya,

they saw that Gaddafi gave up his weapons

and was very ignominiously murdered by his own people

with the support of the West.

Those scenes have to be terrifying

to the North Koreans.

We are ready for a military confrontation with the United States.

I see these nuclear weapons and missiles

as a symptom of how isolated and threatening

and threatened the North Korean government feels.

The U.S. are brutal gangsters.

***

The North Korean people are really the pawns

in this political game that their regime is playing.

***

***

When you're traveling in the van with your family, it's important that you film a lot.

If you're sitting behind your family, don't just film the back of their heads.

Record them in the reflection of the car window.

Shoot from different angles like this.

Shoot from the front, the side...

Once we get to Vietnam, the film crew will be able to film again.

I only need to film in China.

That's because it's not safe for our family if the filmmakers are with them in China.

Oh, you're packing clothes for the children!

We haven't left yet and I'm already so nervous.

Exchange this at the airport.

My daughter says I need to look South Korean to be safe in China.

It's true.

So I bought new clothes for the first time here.

Okay, we should leave. It's after five o'clock.

We'll go in my car.

Do I look South Korean?

You do.

***

***

The security in China is much heavier than I expected.

In train stations, airports and service areas

they check both incoming and outgoing traffic.

They use a machine to check ID cards thoroughly.

There's so much surveillance that I'm starting to worry my family may face a problem.

***

Police and soldiers are everywhere and they seem to be on high alert.

I'm really scared.

***

***

***

I can't believe my mom hasn't called me.

No one seems to know where he is so your mom must also be waiting to hear.

Yes, but someone needs to go right away and bribe the security police.

He could be dying for all we know.

If we can't get in contact with anyone soon, we all deserve to die.

I can't bear not knowing what's happening to him.

My guess is they are slowly increasing the intensity of the beatings.

You're right.

We need to keep faith that he can stay firm under torture.

Yes.

I'm so anxious.

Thank you for trying to help.

We don't understand why we can't get any news about him.

The family should be notified.

There are two kinds of political prison camps in North Korea.

One is a closed-off gulag where you can never get out

In the other, if you survive your sentence, you can be released.

But if he were being sent to the second one, my mom should have been informed.

I'm determined to find out where he really is

The best case scenario is being sentenced to a labor camp or a reformation center.

The worst case

is execution

or being sent to a gulag because your life ends in there.

***

They arrested me and called me a spy.

I was not a spy. No way.

I was tortured and interrogated.

I weighed 168 lbs when I was arrested.

After 9 months of torture

I was 77 lbs. I could not carry my body.

When I walked, I had to lean on the wall for support.

I finally confessed to being a spy.

There was no trial. They just took me somewhere.

It turned out to be Yodok Political Concentration Camp.

***

Everyone in the camp had been accused of crimes against the regime.

Many were there simply for criticizing the regime

or because they had been found with a Bible.

One person was there because he tore a piece of Kim Jong-Il's face from a newspaper

and used that paper to roll a cigarette.

***

We were ordered to go up the mountain with just an ax.

We had to chop down trees that were 13 feet wide and 131 feet tall.

Logs rolled down the hill, hitting those climbing.

Their legs and arms were broken and intestines leaked out of their wounds

but they were still alive.

You could hear them breathing and moaning at night.

When the bodies decomposed, they fused together.

You couldn't separate them.

If you tried the arm, it just came off. The legs fell off

and the head would just fall off.

We had to shovel them onto a handcart like garbage

and bury them in a hole in the ground.

It's impossible to erase this from my mind.

***

***

***

***

***

Broker #3: The defectors must walk casually.

Casually!

Broker #4: Get them quickly in.

Here we go.

Stay alert. We are in the middle of China.

Thanks for all the help we're receiving.

I thank everyone.

Our clothes were destroyed but the farmers and brokers gave us new clothes.

I just feel speechless.

We need to go.

***

***

The filmmakers and I will fly to Vietnam tomorrow night and arrive around midnight.

We'll meet up with your family the next day.

We won't stop for long though, because we need to keep moving.

18 defectors were caught in China three days ago.

Oh no.

Will they be sent back to North Korea?

Yes, of course.

Hello?

Broker: Hello Pastor

I can't see anybody!

Can you use someone's phone for light?

Do you have the other phone?

We need more light. Bring the camera.

***

That's right.

Where is your mother?

Here she is.

Mom, stay strong!

You too. Jinhae and Jinpyeong!

We're flying to Vietnam tomorrow so I'll see you soon.

Hyukchang, listen carefully.

We've sent someone to meet you close to China's southern border.

They are arranging with the brokers and will help you cross into Vietnam.

Okay, I understand.

Alright.

***

This is the visa upon arrival.

You'll be filling out this form.

***

Wait, what is?

Wait. Did my daughter put this here?

Why did she include her homework here?

This is my daughter's. I hope she got good marks.

We are heading to Hanoi, Vietnam.

From there, we will head close to the border with China.

Our goal is to be near the border before the family arrives.

If the defectors arrive at the border before us, we'll need to change our plans

because it would be very dangerous for them to wait there.

Before 2009, I often went into China when helping defectors.

And then a co-worker of mine in China was kidnapped to North Korea and tortured.

During torture he told them that I help defectors.

After that, the Chinese police officials in our network warned me

"Don't ever enter China again unless you want to lose your life."

In terms of the possibility of North Korea trying to kidnap you

is that something you would only worry about if you went back into China?

Every time I go to Vietnam, Laos, even Thailand...

the South Korean National Intelligence Service tells me not to go.

They really plead with me not to go.

***

Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia...

all these countries have close ties to North Korea.

Every time I enter those countries and the stamp is stamped, my heart also thuds.

***

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Friend of my brother

Yes. I received your message.

Are you able to do what I asked?

Yes. I am.

Please move quickly.

Yes.

Please make sure the broker gives you the money.

I will.

Anything else?

I'll go to the security police and call you with any information I get about your son.

Please take care of your safety.

Yes. I will.

Okay, thank you.

He's still alive.

But he's been very badly beaten.

His lower back is damaged

and he has wounds on his head.

And...

his chest must have been hurt here

because apparently he can't breathe properly.

And my friend said my son can't eat properly now either.

He said his teeth were damaged in the torture.

When they hit you

they hit with an angled ruler and a wooden club.

You can't avoid your bones being broken.

And he said my son has shrunk to half his size.

But he's still alive.

It's a beautiful day and I would like to sing.

Of course.

The songs you sang in school...

Nothing to Envy...?

Nothing to Envy

Blue is the sky

and happy is my heart

Then I don't remember.

Where people live in harmony

We envy nothing in the world

I think, living in North Korea...

The moments I felt I was happy

was the comparison.

This is Wisconsin, located in the Midwest of the United States.

Unemployed people roam the streets because they don't have homes.

The regime told us that we were living in Utopia

and that many other countries are living in a disaster.

There are over 1.5 million homeless children in the United States.

We learned that South Korean students didn't have any clothes.

They were begging for food on the street.

That was actually the reality about North Korea

but I thought everything was paradise compared to other countries.

Many foreigners wonder how North Koreans can live like human robots.

Why they're not questioning the regime; why they're not overthrowing the regime?

But I believe every person, if born in North Korea, would be exactly like us

because we didn't know another life existed besides the one we had.

We were captured in a huge, virtual prison.

***

***

The most taxing part of this journey

is us having to illegally cross through the jungle.

I feel emotionally exhausted, worrying about it.

I had a son who had serious health issues...

He died while I was at a meeting about saving someone.

He had vomited and it blocked his airway.

"We've lost you, so now we'll devote ourselves to saving many more defectors."

This is what my wife and I said during my son's cremation.

Losing my child while saving someone else's child, that's when I felt the most anguish in my life.

I've helped rescue around 1.000 people since his death over 10 years ago.

In Christian terms, my son was the grain of wheat.

How can they tell us now, at the last minute?

They didn't even bring two cars!

People need to keep the promises they make.

This is where we pull over.

I threw a fit and they brought the second car. The one in front will be a sedan and in back is a van.

Yes, the family are almost here.

I understand. Let's talk on the way.

***

They're here.

They're here.

Let's get them in.

Bring your stuff.

Hurry. This is a dangerous place.

Get in, get in!

Get in the back.

Go, hurry!

We still have a second car ahead of us to alert us to dangers, so try to relax for a moment.

I'm happy to see you all.

ls there any space over here?

There's more space up here.

It must be a relief to be attempting this as a family

and, Grandmother, you've done so well.

I can see where the safe house is.

We were on the main road but the lead car is taking us onto a byway.

We must be avoiding a checkpoint.

I couldn't sleep again last night.

It's been like this for weeks.

I'll make a cup of coffee.

Hello.

Hi. My contact in the North says your son will be sentenced soon.

So the interrogation is over?

Yes. She might be able to get him released, depending on how much money you spend.

Right.

And since his sentence will be decided now, she says it's time to use money. She says it's urgent.

Okay, I will wire the money now then.

Good.

I'll make sure she uses the money wisely.

I'm not sure if this is a trick or not

but I have no choice but to trust that broker.

I have no choice.

I'll park the car here.

Hello?

My contact called me again. She just visited your mom and talked with her.

I thought my information was accurate

but it wasn't.

According to your mom, your son is still being interrogated.

My contact said your mom was shaking in fear and doesn't know who to trust.

Her house is under constant surveillance and she doesn't want to be involved in any of this.

She doesn't believe your son was planning to defect.

I see.

I'm really sorry. We thought the interrogation was over. It's so hard to get accurate information from there.

Okay, we will talk again.

Yes, I'll call you again.

***

***

You can wash your hair.

That water is falling like thunder.

I thought that was a blackboard for studying.

I think it's a television.

A television?

Brush your teeth.

This bag must be weak, we've carried it so much.

Let's go. I'd like to buy everyone some fruit.

Jinhae, come here, I want to show you something.

Look at how green it is.

We're going to get some fruit. What do you guys want?

So pretty.

Can you get us a towel?

Yes I'll get it.

You have to peel these and you can only eat the inside.

Are those chestnuts?

I want to wear the one with the bear.

Wow, that's also pretty.

Okay, try that one.

This is much too big.

It's hot here so it's good if it's a little big

But I think this one's okay.

There are snacks over there.

- Do you have a comb? - Yes, mother.

Stay in there so you can be cool.

I'll help you wash.

What's this?

This is popcorn.

Those are crackers.

Mine is crackers?

Yeah.

One second.

Let's eat it together.

So this is Vietnam?

Yes, of course this is Vietnam!

Everything is new to me here.

There isn't water or lights in North Korea.

We need to draw our own drinking water

and the whole family gathers to use the water from one cauldron.

And it takes hard work to get that water.

If we have a whole day, we can draw enough so that we have more than just a small stream.

But when the authorities call us to a rally. often there's no time to draw any water at all

so having access to water was always my biggest worry.

So this place is really

Heaven on Earth.

It would be impossible for a North Korean to imagine this place if they didn't see it themselves.

I feel like our country must become more developed.

I know how intelligent our Marshal Kim Jong-Un is, so are our people just not smart?

Or what could the reason be?

Jinhae, what's been most memorable so far?

When crossing over.

Did you feel any relief once you crossed into China?

No.

Because we could get caught.

Children North Korea are taught that if they do something wrong

and then are caught, they'll be killed.

That fear is instilled in them from when they're very young.

After school, in the afternoons we had to gather on the school grounds

and then we had to practice for the mass games.

For dancing.

For the parade.

The card sections.

We practiced almost every day.

In total, it was countless hours.

I thought that was the normal duty as a North Korean citizen.

Many people were suffering under the cold weather

and then during summer it's super hot, right?

So some people had heat stroke or fainted.

And when we were practicing how to match all the pictures

if one student wanted to go to the bathroom, there would be a big hole.

So nobody could leave.

So some students are peeing in their pants.

In a way, the scariest parts of North Korea

are some of what they wanna show you at these mass games.

And there's 100.000 people

wearing the same kind of clothes and marching in unison.

And you see these children who are five, six years old

with their mass games, cards spelling out

propaganda messages in perfect unison.

You've gotta think, you know, "How do you get your five-year-old to do that?"

You see how much repression there is.

People had to repeat the same moves so many times like a machine

And if we made a mistake, we could be punished.

We usually practiced on the cement

so kids were rolling on concrete for months.

Some kids even broke their jaws when they fell on the ground.

Foreigners were amazed by watching the mass games.

They just couldn't close their mouths.

It's a painful memory for me.

Behind the pictures, I know what students are suffering.

Please eat a lot because once we leave tonight, we won't be able to eat.

We'll rest for a bit after our meal.

It will be dark when we reach the mountain

and we'll be crossing for about three hours, illegally.

On the Laos side of the border, our people should be waiting for us with cars.

So eat a lot and gather your strength.

I'm worried about crossing this mountain.

That's what I'm worried about too.

Whatever happens in the jungle, we have to be as quiet as we can.

Hyukchang, does everyone have their water?

Let's go!

Are we ready?

All family members should go in the other car.

Get in quick.

Get in there with your family.

***

You'll each get a torch covered in a plastic bag.

You need to press hard like this, okay?

Press hard.

Hey, hey! Turn off the light!

The light!

Turn it off!

Please be careful! That light is too strong.

Never shine your light up.

When we are in the jungle, you can shine it down, but never up.

Let's go.

Slowly, be careful.

Watch your feet.

Follow them.

You'll get hit by the branches.

Keep going.

Tell them to stop by the waterside.

Tell the person in front.

Go that way, go ahead.

Father, it's this way.

It's here. This way.

I'm okay.

No, not that way, here!

Here we go.

Careful.

Follow me.

Shine it towards the ground. It's too high.

The problem isn't just how steep the mountain is, but how slippery it is.

Yes, I was afraid I was going to fall.

Remember, we've only been walking for 30 minutes.

We still have another 2 1/2 hours to go.

Let's rest a bit.

If we lose energy early on, it'll kill us.

Should I wash too?

The stickiness will wash away.

It's refreshing, isn't it?

Let's go.

In North Korea, every household has to hang our Dear Leaders' pictures.

On the best spot, on the best wall.

It's mandatory.

They're the most important thing in every home.

We had to remove the dust very frequently.

Government officials come to every house without warning us

wearing white gloves

and they're just checking the dust on the pictures.

What would happen if they found dust?

Severe punishment.

When I was young...

we prayed to "our Father and Leader Kim Il-Sung" before breakfast every morning.

We had never heard of a book called The Bible

and if anyone was caught with one, they'd receive the worst punishments imaginable.

In North Korea, I studied the "Ten Principles (for a) Monolithic Leadership System".

After I got to South Korea, I came across the Ten Commandments

and they were basically identical.

North Korea has basically plagiarized

the Christian Bible and you can see

a lot of parallels to the Old Testament.

They told us that during the colonial period

Kim Il-Sung fought against our Japanese enemies

by crossing the rainbows from this mountain to another mountain.

During the Korean War, he made rice from sand.

He made bombs from pinecones

and crossed the Yalu River standing on tree leaves.

Kim Il-Sung is God,

and Kim Jong-Il is the Son of God.

They claim that he was born not in a manger

but in a log cabin on Mount Paektu,

which is at the Chinese-North Korean border.

He was actually born in Russia

but they faked his birthplace.

It's said his birth was heralded

by a beautiful star, and a double rainbow.

They wanted to keep this powerful imagery for themselves,

so the Bible is banned.

***

Wait. Let one of the brokers go first.

We'll die if we go in the front.

Let's follow him.

Watch out so you don't slip.

Oh, be careful here.

If it rains, it'll kill us.

If you're about to fall, let go of Grandma's hand.

You don't want her to fall with you.

We shouldn't rest yet. Let's go a little further.

***

My legs are like jelly.

Come this way.

Yes, like that.

You can't climb up alone! Hold my hand!

I'll get stuck between those rocks!

My hand, hold my hand.

Have a broker lift her up.

Let's take a seat.

There's something wrong with my ankle.

I think I've sprained my ankle.

My body can't cope the way it used to.

After having three operations last year, my body can't cope.

You big girl.

Have we only climbed over one mountain so far?

Broker #2: We went up and down one.

We have to cross three mountains like that.

So the next mountain will only be the second?

Yeah.

I got in touch with a broker who can reach the highest security levels.

But since then, I haven't heard anything.

I'm so confused.

Do you think he really meant to bring me back to the North?

I guess it's possible but, if so, it's because he wanted to be with you.

Some guys in Hyesan city contacted me. They said the case might be more serious than we thought

Really?

Yes, they say it sounds dangerous.

But let's wait and see what this high-level broker can find out.

Okay.

***

Where? Where's the boo-boo?

Where does it hurt?

Try not to cry.

Broker #1: if we continue like this, it'll be at least 6-7 hours more.

Broker #2: Yes, 6 more hours.

Oh gosh.

Did you hit your head?

Why are we going on this same path again?

These brokers are making us go over the same mountains.

We have to stop. I need to sort this out.

It's okay.

You're sweating so much.

As you can see, I'm only okay on the outside wrapper.

This is wrong. The lead broker is really screwing us up.

Please drink some water.

I'll drink some.

They're taking us in circles and asking for more money.

I don't think we're going to make it today.

I want to eat kimchi. Cabbage kimchi.

I don't know if this is going to work. They are making it so hard.

They don't care about our condition.

The jerk wants to make us suffer. Even more money now?

I need to sit again.

The wind is blowing.

It's refreshing.

You hear the dogs barking, right?

There are military dogs around the border.

We should turn the lights off.

It's now 1:50.

The breeze is the only thing saving me.

How much?

Tell them we'll give them some money when we all come back safely.

But if you keep taking us in circles, I can't give you money.

Broker: Okay, agreed. You can give it when we arrive.

Fine, let's go.

Be careful.

I think I hear a car.

Wait, stop! Look there!

Turn the lights off!

Light!

Stay still for a moment.

Okay, you can use the lights now.

Go, go! Let's get going!

Go!

Go! Run, run!

Let's go!

Go!

***

***

You can sit on the bags since they are soft, okay?

I thought a lot about our neighbors on that mountain.

I wonder about the path to survival when the price is abandoning our hometowns.

I miss our friends and our dog.

Bobo.

We should have brought him.

She misses him so much.

My old neighborhood was full of flowers

and full of birds

When the harsh blue wind blows

from the South.

I miss playing in that place.

***

***

Hey GPS, don't do this to me.

We have to get there on time.

He's got a rifle. We should avoid roads like this.

Okay, another unpaved road.

Finally the route I know.

Does China surveil here?

Laos is a communist country so China certainly monitors a lot here.

So the Pastor arrived first.

Which route did he take?

***

Are you ready?

Okay, get out.

Hurry.

Run!

Have some of these.

What are they?

It's chocolate.

Brown rice is so good to eat.

Hyukchang...

Can you close the window, please? People will be able to see us from outside.

Stir-fried potatoes and soup.

Seaweed makes it more delicious.

Uncle, how many more bowls do we need?

Let's pray before we eat.

You don't have to say anything until after I finish praying.

When I say, "In the name of Jesus Christ", then you say, "Amen".

That's all you need to say.

You simply say, "Amen".

Amen?

Yes.

Thank you for protecting us from the police until now.

We will rest here for a few days

and we thank you for allowing us all to spend some quieter time together.

We pray to Jesus Christ that you won't let go of the string of hope until we reach our destination.

Amen.

It's savory and delicious.

Ah, it's good.

Do you want some of mine too?

Your daughters eat very well.

Of course.

In North Korea, we can't throw out the

what is this, the sh...

Poop.

There's no fertilizer system in North Korea so we had to give the government our own poop.

And this was mostly during the famine, right? Or was this always...

Always.

Every winter, so it's just like ice.

They're preparing for spring.

In North Korea the common toilet is made with wood. Like a small garage.

And there's a hole.

We just bent our knees...

I don't know, you know what... squat?

And under is a huge wood bucket

to save all the poos.

If we don't give our portion, we will have problems

so sometimes people are stealing each other's poos.

But, no matter what, everyone had to

distribute to the government.

Some people are carrying the poos on their backs

or in huge buckets.

My family used a huge sack.

Some people are putting the poos inside carts.

And where would you take it?

- The poos? - Yeah.

We just gave it to the school

and the company people are giving it to the companies.

And then people are coming from the countryside to take all the poos for the farmers.

***

Hello?

***

Yes...

I spoke to your mother.

Yes!

She said she wants you to enjoy your life.

I will.

Is she okay?

Your mom doesn't understand how you could let this happen to your son.

She says he only wanted to bring you to the North. He never wanted to leave.

I know that now...

She just hopes she can see him before she dies.

She must.

She is getting old and she feels she could stop breathing at any time.

I've committed an unforgivable sin against my son and her.

Please listen! She doesn't want to be involved with this. She only says to have a good life.

Something must have happened to her, right?

She feels alone...

Something must have happened to her! Please tell me everything!

She asks that you not contact her.

We were just born in the wrong country.

We were born in the wrong country!

ls my mom being banished to somewhere?

She says to have a good life. I'm sorry but we need to hurry.

Okay, thank you...

Please tell my mother to live for a long time.

I will.

Please tell her I'm so proud to be her daughter.

Thank her for bringing me into the world.

Please tell her...

that I can't wait to see her again...

I will.

We need to end this call.

Okay...

***

***

This all feels like a dream.

Am I dreaming?

I can't tell if this is real

or if I'm dreaming.

The regime recently began reinforcing ideological education.

They said we must continue to persevere until the country becomes prosperous.

They made a "banishment list" that included everyone who had family members

who had defected in the past three years.

When I heard we were on that list

I felt hopeless.

If we had stayed, they would have taken us in a car.

We wouldn't have known if they'd come in the day or the night.

We wouldn't have known where they were taking us.

When you're banished, the place is an unliveable place.

Somewhere in the mountains.

Deep inside Kapsan County.

From the old days of the Choson Dynasty, Kapsan has been a place for banishment

because it is a highly uninhabitable place.

(They'd drop us) at this inhospitable place.

We'd bring a few blankets and things, but once we got there

they'd take away those belongings.

They'd leave us there and tell us to live there

and then that's the end.

We knew that in case we were caught

we'd rather die than go back so we carried cyanide pills with us.

We didn't want the kids to know we were defecting

so we lied and told them we were going to pick mushrooms.

As we crossed the Yalu River, we described all the different mushrooms in China.

I was afraid my mother was going to fall so I held onto her arms.

The kids didn't have socks so we wrapped their feet with my husband's shirt.

After wandering for 5 days, we found a tent.

It was a Chinese ginseng tent and there was a man there.

North Koreans often steal from ginseng fields in China to make money

but we had my mother and the children there so he let us in. We looked pitiful.

Even at night we barely said a word. and our hearts became small like the size of a bean.

When I heard any rustling, I stayed completely still

and heard trains going past

faintly.

The sound of the train whistle told us that we were still very close to the North Korean border.

Then from somewhere, someone mentioned the pastor

and they recorded the video of us at the hut.

If Pastor Kim had not decided to help, was there any plan, was there any hope?

Then we wouldn't have lived.

Do you still think North Korea is the best?

How-How should I respond?

How should... You can say whatever you feel.

If it's bad, it's bad. If it's good, it's good.

Nothing was bad.

Okay, then talk about that. Don't look at me when you talk.

I believe Marshal Kim Jong-Un is really...

at a young age, trying very hard

to support so many people...

Wait, Mom.

Mom. Don't lie.

When did Kim Jong-Un ever give you rice to eat?

Just say it like it is. When did you eat rice?

Don't lie.

They're asking if you've ever been disappointed in Kim Jong-Un.

I've never felt that way.

I had decided not to leave with my daughter.

I was going to stay in North Korea and live alone until I died

but the State Security Police would have made me report to them several times a day

and pay whatever amount they wanted each time.

And now I'm old and I can't earn much at all.

So I realized that whether I live or die, I had to go with my daughter.

I've always felt all my wishes would come true if only my country was better off.

I mean, our Great Leader Kim Jong-Un is taking care of our country at such a young age.

So we must, we must really

work hard to make Marshal Kim Jong-Un even a little happy.

That is what I believe.

We were taught that Americans were the most evil people in the world

and that, given the chance, they would just kill people.

So it seems like Americans would be like that

but it's been the opposite.

I was talking with my daughter, and I said...

"These Americans are acting nice, but what if that changes?

What if they kill us because we're from North Korea?"

So I'm not sure what will happen

but right now

as I look at you

and see how kind

and nice you are...

This makes me think that perhaps

my government has lied to me somehow.

If my mother disappears

Will she come again?

Mother, Mother

It's a children's song.

When the mother passes away it's a song about a child having to live alone.

What are her thoughts on Kim Jong-Un?

You can tell them both of our thoughts.

He is the greatest person in the world.

Yes.

There aren't any monkeys in North Korea.

I feel sorry for it.

Sit down.

It doesn't understand Korean.

Look at its hands.

It's like a person's hand.

What is this fruit?

It's a grapefruit.

Do I have to peel this skin here?

You can eat it the way it is.

Is it a tangerine?

It's like a tangerine but a little bitter.

So it's an orange.

Let me try it.

But a tangerine is orange color.

I can't believe it.

Oh my. Oh my.

It says, "Mmm, tasty!"

Tomorrow night we will take a boat across the Mekong River.

I can cross the river with you, but I can't go any further than that.

If I am caught illegally stepping on Thai soil, I will receive at least 5 years in prison.

However, when you arrive in Thailand, you are finally free.

So, this is Thailand.

This is Laos.

And this is the Mekong River.

You will cross the Mekong like this

and I will go with you but only until this point.

Right at the shore.

You've been hiding from the police this entire journey.

You were hiding in China and also in Vietnam.

The same here in Laos.

Why have you been hiding in these countries?

Because they will send us back to North Korea.

All those countries have strong ties to North Korea.

That's why Thailand is our destination.

And in Thailand, you want to get caught by the police as soon as possible.

After you get off the boat, you will see small paths in the rice fields.

Follow those paths and you will come to a road.

It will be very dark so be careful not to get hit by a car.

When you see someone

you tell them that you are North Korean.

Police cars with lights and sirens will arrive.

Don't be scared. You are supposed to be arrested.

Now there are two things you need to be aware of.

Many drugs go through Thailand on their way to the U.S. and Europe.

Because of this, there is very serious security on the river.

We are crossing via a route used for smuggling drugs.

But we must be very quiet.

Once when I crossed, we were shot at on the river by the police.

The second thing to know is that the boat we're taking is long and narrow.

You need to hold on tight because it's very wobbly.

If the boat loses balance, it can easily flip.

Earlier this year, five people died.

The depth of the water there is not gradual. It goes straight down.

It's very dramatic.

And the water swirls on the bottom.

That's the Mekong River.

So if the boat flips

there is a good chance we will all die.

So the boat slowly approaches the Thailand shore

and then rotates and docks parallel to the edge.

Those people who died were impatient.

We will let you off the boat one person at a time.

Rushing off will make the boat flip and we could all drown.

It's the same when we climb onto the boat.

We must board one person at a time.

This is very important.

***

Everyone get in the cars.

Hurry.

We're running out of time.

The trunk door is open.

We will be at the river in 18 minutes.

We don't have much time.

Turn right.

Please turn off the car light.

We will arrive in about a minute.

You have arrived.

Broker: Don't get off yet.

We have to drive in as far as possible.

Don't get off.

Our broker will go ahead first.

He'll go first.

***

Broker: Come sit down here.

Closer. Closer.

Don't get impatient.

Come closer.

Come closer.

I shouldn't sit more in the center?

You're okay.

Don't get impatient.

Slowly!

Mother, make sure you remain right in the center.

Have a safe trip.

See you again.

Good bye.

I can't see them anymore.

Broker: Stay very still

and do not get off the boat yet.

You must get off one person at a time.

Get off that way, one by one.

Get off one by one.

Okay? One by one.

One by one.

Pastor, point the light this way please.

Go ahead. Get off.

Grandma, you're too far up the boat to stand yet.

Come toward me first.

Mother...

Okay, step off now, Grandma.

Jinhae, now you.

Slowly.

Go one by one.

Slowly, one by one.

Next. Let's go.

I should carry her first and get off, right?

You're fine. Walk slowly.

Leave it here for now. Grab it later.

People first.

If you follow this path, you will find the road.

Yes, yes.

Now you are in Thailand.

You have all found freedom.

Thank you so much.

Enough. Enough. Let's go.

Don't cry.

I have to go.

Please follow the directions I gave you.

Let's meet again.

Sure.

***

Hello.

Yes, hello?

I paid them and asked them for the information.

Yes.

It's not somethng that can be fixed by money.

We'll need to leave it to fate.

But do you think there is any chance he could ever get out alive?

Could there be any way?

No, there isn't.

But...

He cannot come out. I told you.

Do you understand?

Do you understand what I mean?

I got it.

I also have family in that place. My older sister is there.

Let's not talk too long. It's unsafe.

I just heard

***

that my son was sent to the camp 10 days ago.

I don't know if I've shown this to you yet or not.

He had just crossed the Yalu River.

He's covered in dirt.

My goodness...

They sent that little boy to the gulag.

He had almost made it.

***

***

***

10th floor.

Open the door.

Oh, Grandmother!

My grandma. It's been so long.

Come here.

Here you are.

You've made it.

Grandma, you've got new teeth.

This place is nice. You have enough space for all of you.

We can lend you a room.

This is where you start again.

This is your home. This is a new beginning.

It's a bit better than the ones the People's Party provides.

The People's Party doesn't give out houses.

I thought they promised free education, health care and housing...

That's one big lie.

Honey, look at this footage we just got from North Korea.

It came the day before yesterday.

These are some of the finest apartments in North Korea. None of them have elevators.

The people there assume that's how everyone live

Look at all the smoke.

Because they use wood for all heat and cooking.

Hello?

Is this the Pastor?

I've got some people who want to cross the border. Can you help them in China?

You're in North Korea so you might not know much about Coronavirus

but the route from China to Thailand is blocked right now.

Wow, why so many messages?

Hello?

Yes, hello. My mother and younger sibling are in North Korea.

I wanted your help.

Right now, even if they make it across the Yalu River

they won't be able to move through China.

Things are very serious right now. You can't get to Thailand from China.

There are days when I don't get any calls

but there can also be double digits in a day

and it's heartbreaking that we can't help right now.

Hi!

How are you?

How is South Korea?

We're so good we can't describe it.

We love it so much.

Come visit us when coronavirus is over.

Come visit us, will you?

Yes!

What are some of the most surprising things...

When we learned the truth about the regime, we were completely shocked.

I regret that I came at such an old age.

If I came earlier when I was younger

I could've changed my outlook sooner.

We North Koreans tend to be skeptical even when we have the proof in our hands.

When we saw videos of the outside world, we usually assumed they were fake.

We were living like worms.

Coming here in my 50s

I feel I have missed so many opportunities.

It's an unsettling realization.

I quickly run out of words to describe how angry I am.

We didn't leave North Korea because we wanted to.

Most defectors came to South Korea in order to survive.

Brothers, families, children, everyone was separated.

If it weren't for the North Korean regime, there'd be no reason for people to leave.

We could have just lived there.

I was sent these from the police in China.

Cheong had them and they were left in China when he was repatriated.

The Day of the Sun is Kim Il-Sung's birthday.

This award was for an art competition on that day.

Cheong did good brushwork.

This one is for calligraphy.

And this one is for a drawing.

A mother and child just wanting to live. Is that a sin?

It's not.

A son just trying to find his mother.

It's not just anger. I hate the Kim regime.

This was my home for 40 years.

Can you imagine how it felt to leave my home?

I miss my relatives and...

All my relatives, friends, my memories are there.

I want to have that moment again with them, but I know, I can't.

So sometimes I'm just looking at the sky

the birds are flying.

I'm thinking...

if I'm a bird, I can fly anywhere I want.

What if I'm flying to North Korea

seeing everyone there...

And I was thinking: "What if you see your friend is dying?

for starvation or sickness...

You are one little bird, you can't help them out.

So is it happy for you to see that reality

or is it just better if you don't know

you don't see that.

Which one makes you happy?

But I miss everyone.

I just miss that place all the time.

Right now as we're talking at around 6 pm

people in North Korea are probably at a market trying to sell one more rice cake.

You stay outside until it gets completely dark hoping to sell more.

- If you can bring home a bowl of noodles - That's a success.

And if the boss says you didn't perform well at work that day...

You will spend the evening being reprimanded.

You won't even get a single grain of rice.

You will be told that you work only to make Kim Jong-Un happy.

Even though it's been a tough journey for us, we are now happy.

But it keeps me up at night to think about the people still there.

Me too.

=== Hardcoded Subtitles To Soft Subtitles === By Andrebavila