Yeonmi Park

Yeonmi Park is a North Korean defector, human rights activist, author, and political commentator.

Yeonmi Park is a North Korean defector, human rights activist, author, and political commentator. She fled North Korea as a teenager, later gained international attention for her 2014 One Young World speech, and has written two memoirs about her experiences and political views.

Early life and defection

Yeonmi Park was born on 4 October 1993 in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, North Korea. In 2007, at age 13, she fled North Korea to China with her family. She later moved to South Korea and eventually settled in the United States.

Public profile and activism

Park first appeared on South Korean television in 2011. She reached wider international recognition after her 2014 speech at the One Young World Summit in Dublin. Since then, she has spoken publicly about North Korean human rights abuses and human trafficking.

Writing and media career

Park published her memoir *In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom* in 2015. A second book, *While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector's Search for Freedom in America*, was released in 2023. She is also described as a speaker and media commentator.

Political commentary

During the 2020s, Park became identified with conservative political commentary in the United States through speeches, podcasts, interviews, and public appearances. Several sources describe her as a conservative activist or commentator.