The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is possibly the most restrictive country in the world. Escape from this Hermit Kingdom has become increasingly difficult and dangerous over the years, and it is more challenging than ever to understand what exactly is going on in this nation. Join us in welcoming North Korean defectors in sharing their testimonials of escape and hope as we attempt to gain an insight into North Korea and the current lives of its defectors.

Featuring: 

Sheena Chestnut Greitens: Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri. She is also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Center for East Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution and an Associate in Research at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. Dr. Greitens holds a Ph.D from Harvard University; an M.Phil from Oxford University, where she studied as a Marshall Scholar; and a B.A. from Stanford University.

Caleb Choi: Mr. Caleb Cho attended a university in North Korea. He resettled in the United States a few years ago and finished his Bachelor’s degree in Economics at George Washington University in 2016. He currently attends Tufts University in Boston for his master’s degree in economics and expects to graduate this May. He will share his knowledge and experience of the North Korean education system and other aspects that are unique to the higher education system in North Korea. If time permits, he would be able to also share his observations about the distinct differences between university systems in North Korea and the United States and how important education is for one’s life and how education that he has received in the United States has changed his life and values.

Larry Lee: Mr. Larry Lee was born in North Korea in early 90s and escaped from the country in 2010. After 3 years of struggling to reach a land of freedom, he eventually came to the U.S in 2013. Also he was in ENoK’s Empower House from 2014 to 2016, during which time he obtained GED, and now, he is a college student in Chicago area.

Sponsored by the International House Global Voices Lecture Series and UChicago Emancipate North Koreans.