TED2013
Hyeonseo Lee: My escape from North Korea
Hyeonseo Lee: 我的北韩逃亡记
Filmed:
Readability: 3.9
13,915,716 views
作为从小在朝鲜长大的孩子，Hyeonseo Lee（李炫秀/音译 ）认为她的国家是”世界上最好的"。她一直这样认为。直到90年代的大饥荒，她开始怀疑。14岁时，她逃出朝鲜并开始了在中国隐姓埋名的难民生活。 这是一个关于生存和希望，令人痛心的私人故事。同时也是对那些远在他乡，却仍然时刻生活在恐惧中的朝鲜人一个鲜明有力的提醒。
Hyeonseo Lee - Activist
As a child growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee thoght her country was the "best on the planet." It wasn't until the famine of the 90s that she began to wonder. She escaped the country at 17-years-old to begin a life in hiding as a refugee in China. Hers is a harrowing, personal tale of survival and hope -- and a powerful reminder of those who face constant danger, even when the border is far behind. Full bio
As a child growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee thoght her country was the "best on the planet." It wasn't until the famine of the 90s that she began to wonder. She escaped the country at 17-years-old to begin a life in hiding as a refugee in China. Hers is a harrowing, personal tale of survival and hope -- and a powerful reminder of those who face constant danger, even when the border is far behind. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:16
When I was little,
0
357
1351
当我还是个孩子的时候，
00:17
I thought my country was the best on the planet,
1
1708
3362
我认为我的国家是世界上最好的。
00:20
and I grew up singing a song called "Nothing To Envy."
2
5070
3375
我大一点后学会了一首叫做"无可羡慕"的歌，
00:24
And I was very proud.
3
8445
2635
我觉得十分自豪。
00:26
In school, we spent a lot of time
4
11080
1788
在学校，我们用很多时间
00:28
studying the history of Kim Il-Sung,
5
12868
1761
来学习金日成的历史，
00:30
but we never learned much about the outside world,
6
14629
3942
但是我们从来没有对外面的世界有过太多了解，
00:34
except that America, South Korea, Japan are the enemies.
7
18571
4950
除了知道美国、韩国和日本是敌人外。
00:39
Although I often wondered about the outside world,
8
23521
3214
虽然我也时常憧憬外面的世界，
00:42
I thought I would spend my entire life in North Korea,
9
26735
4148
我以为我会在朝鲜度过我的一生，
00:46
until everything suddenly changed.
10
30883
3704
直到所有事情都忽然改变。
00:50
When I was seven years old, I saw my first public execution,
11
34587
4760
当我七岁的时候，我第一次见证了公开处决，
00:55
but I thought my life in North Korea was normal.
12
39347
3258
但是我认为我在朝鲜的生活很正常。
00:58
My family was not poor,
13
42605
2112
我的家庭并不贫穷。
01:00
and myself, I had never experienced hunger.
14
44717
3533
而且对我自己来说，我从来没有体验过饥饿的感觉。
01:04
But one day, in 1995, my mom brought home a letter
15
48250
4503
但是1995年的一天，我妈妈带了一封信回家
01:08
from a coworker's sister.
16
52753
2063
是从她同事的姐妹那里寄来的。
01:10
It read, "When you read this, all five family members
17
54816
5134
上面写道，”当你读到这封信时,我家的所有五个人
01:15
will not exist in this world,
18
59950
2740
都将离开人世。
01:18
because we haven't eaten for the past two weeks.
19
62690
4151
因为我们已经连续两周没有吃东西了。
01:22
We are lying on the floor together,
20
66841
2472
我们现在一起躺在地板上，
01:25
and our bodies are so weak we are ready to die."
21
69313
8711
我们的身体都太虚弱，准备等死。“
01:33
I was so shocked.
22
78024
3307
我当时非常震惊，
01:37
This was the first time I heard
23
81331
2146
那是我第一次听到
01:39
that people in my country were suffering.
24
83477
4237
活在我的国家的人们所在承受的一切。
01:43
Soon after, when I was walking past a train station,
25
87714
3310
在这之后不久，当我走过一个火车站时，
01:46
I saw something terrible
26
91024
1385
我看到一件非常痛心的事情
01:48
that I can't erase from my memory.
27
92409
3824
让我难以忘怀。
01:52
A lifeless woman was lying on the ground,
28
96233
3168
一个奄奄一息的女人正躺在地上，
01:55
while an emaciated child in her arms
29
99401
3189
怀里抱着一个虚弱的孩子，
01:58
just stared helplessly at his mother's face.
30
102590
4410
那个孩子只能绝望地望着他母亲的脸。
02:02
But nobody helped them, because they were so focused
31
107000
4240
但是没有人帮助他们，
02:07
on taking care of themselves and their families.
32
111240
4625
因为大家连自己和自己的家人都无法顾全。
02:11
A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s.
33
115865
4117
90年代中期朝鲜发生了一次严重的饥荒。
02:15
Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans
34
119982
2735
很不幸地，超过一百万朝鲜人
02:18
died during the famine, and many only survived
35
122717
3317
饿死在饥荒里。并且很多幸存者
02:21
by eating grass, bugs and tree bark.
36
126034
5649
是依靠吃草、虫子和树根活下来的。
02:27
Power outages also became more and more frequent,
37
131683
3284
停电也变得越来越频繁，
02:30
so everything around me was completely dark at night
38
134967
4357
到了晚上我周围的一切都变得漆黑一片，
02:35
except for the sea of lights in China,
39
139324
2552
除了中国的灯火通明，
02:37
just across the river from my home.
40
141876
2480
只要穿过我家旁的河就是。
02:40
I always wondered why they had lights but we didn't.
41
144356
5324
我经常思考为什么他们有灯火而我们没有。
02:45
This is a satellite picture showing North Korea at night
42
149680
4344
这是一张卫星图，拍摄了夜晚的朝鲜
02:49
compared to neighbors.
43
154024
3412
和周边国家的比较。
02:53
This is the Amrok River,
44
157436
1943
这是鸭绿江，
02:55
which serves as a part of the border
45
159379
2371
作为着中国和朝鲜
02:57
between North Korea and China.
46
161750
2684
边界的一部分。
03:00
As you can see, the river can be very narrow
47
164434
2464
如同你们所见，这条河在某些地方非常窄，
03:02
at certain points, allowing North Koreans to secretly cross.
48
166898
5996
窄到朝鲜人能借此偷渡到中国。
03:08
But many die.
49
172894
1624
但是很多尝试偷渡的人死了。
03:10
Sometimes, I saw dead bodies floating down the river.
50
174518
7466
有时候我看见尸体浮在水面上。
03:17
I can't reveal many details [about] how I left North Korea,
51
181984
4940
我不能披露太多我离开朝鲜时的细节，
03:22
but I only can say that during the ugly years of the famine
52
186924
4263
但是我只能说那是在饥荒中最艰难的几年，
03:27
I was sent to China to live with distant relatives.
53
191187
5303
我被送到中国和远亲一起住。
03:32
But I only thought
54
196490
1700
当时我以为，
03:34
that I would be separated from my family for a short time.
55
198190
4287
我只是和我的家人分开很短一段时间。
03:38
I could have never imagined
56
202477
1692
但是我从没想到，
03:40
that it would take 14 years to live together.
57
204169
4493
经历了14年我们才得以重聚。
03:44
In China, it was hard living as a young girl without my family.
58
208662
4424
在中国，我作为一个没家的小女孩过得很辛苦。
03:48
I had no idea what life was going to be like
59
213086
3343
我根本不知道，身为一个朝鲜的难民
03:52
as a North Korean refugee,
60
216429
1837
我未来的生活会怎样。
03:54
but I soon learned it's not only extremely difficult,
61
218266
3536
但是我很快意识到那生活不但充满了艰辛，
03:57
it's also very dangerous,
62
221802
2647
甚至无比危险。
04:00
since North Korean refugees are considered in China
63
224449
4890
因为朝鲜难民在中国
04:05
as illegal migrants.
64
229339
2839
被视为非法移民，
04:08
So I was living in constant fear
65
232178
2274
所以我总是生活在恐惧中，
04:10
that my identity could be revealed,
66
234452
2543
我害怕我的身份会被人发现。
04:12
and I would be repatriated to a horrible fate
67
236995
3137
我会被遣送回朝鲜，
04:16
back in North Korea.
68
240132
2756
去接受悲惨的命运。
04:18
One day, my worst nightmare came true,
69
242888
2712
有一天，我最糟糕的恶梦成真了，
04:21
when I was caught by the Chinese police
70
245600
2838
我被中国警察抓住
04:24
and brought to the police station for interrogation.
71
248438
3999
并带去警察局接受审问。
04:28
Someone had accused me of being North Korean,
72
252437
3438
有人指控我是朝鲜人，
04:31
so they tested my Chinese language abilities
73
255875
3685
所以警察测试了我的汉语能力，
04:35
and asked me tons of questions.
74
259560
3323
并且问了我很多问题。
04:38
I was so scared,
75
262883
2273
我当时非常害怕，
04:41
I thought my heart was going to explode.
76
265156
3008
感觉我的心都快因恐惧而爆炸了。
04:44
If anything seemed unnatural, I could be imprisoned
77
268164
3498
如果有任何异样，我就会入狱
04:47
and repatriated.
78
271662
2184
并被遣送回去，
04:49
I thought my life was over,
79
273846
2447
我以为我这辈子完了。
04:52
but I managed to control all the emotions inside me
80
276293
3239
尽管如此，我还是努力隐藏了自己的恐惧和担忧，
04:55
and answer the questions.
81
279532
1958
并回答了他们的问题。
04:57
After they finished questioning me,
82
281490
2172
这之后，
04:59
one official said to another,
83
283662
2125
一个警察对另一个人说，“
05:01
"This was a false report.
84
285787
2078
报告是错误的，
05:03
She's not North Korean."
85
287865
1932
她不是朝鲜人。”
05:05
And they let me go. It was a miracle.
86
289797
4222
然后他们放我走了。真是个奇迹。
05:09
Some North Koreans in China seek asylum
87
294019
2871
一些朝鲜人在中国
05:12
in foreign embassies,
88
296890
2323
到外国大使馆去寻求庇护，
05:15
but many can be caught by the Chinese police
89
299213
3316
但是很多人被中国警察抓住，
05:18
and repatriated.
90
302529
1460
并被送回朝鲜。
05:19
These girls were so lucky.
91
303989
2177
这些女孩是幸运的，
05:22
Even though they were caught,
92
306166
1616
尽管她们被抓住了，
05:23
they were eventually released
93
307782
1354
但是迫于巨大的国际舆论压力
05:25
after heavy international pressure.
94
309136
3348
她们最终被释放了。
05:28
These North Koreans were not so lucky.
95
312484
3341
但还有一些朝鲜人就没那么幸运了。
05:31
Every year, countless North Koreans are caught in China
96
315825
3915
每年，无数的朝鲜人在中国被捕
05:35
and repatriated to North Korea,
97
319740
2712
并被遣送，
05:38
where they can be tortured, imprisoned
98
322452
3534
回到朝鲜后，他们被折磨、关押
05:41
or publicly executed.
99
325986
2791
或者被公开处决。
05:44
Even though I was really fortunate to get out,
100
328777
3104
尽管我足够幸运能离开朝鲜，
05:47
many other North Koreans have not been so lucky.
101
331881
3058
我的好多同胞却没有这样的好运气。
05:50
It's tragic that North Koreans have to hide their identities
102
334939
3801
这是个很悲惨的事实，那就是朝鲜人必须要隐姓埋名，
05:54
and struggle so hard just to survive.
103
338740
4194
如此努力仅仅为了能生存下去。
05:58
Even after learning a new language and getting a job,
104
342934
3038
即使他们学会了中文，找到了工作，
06:01
their whole world can be turned upside down in an instant.
105
345972
3881
他们的整个世界也会在顷刻间颠覆。
06:05
That's why, after 10 years of hiding my identity,
106
349853
3736
这就是为什么，在隐姓埋名10年后，
06:09
I decided to risk going to South Korea,
107
353589
4282
我决定冒险去韩国。
06:13
and I started a new life yet again.
108
357871
3075
就这样，我又一次开始了新的生活。
06:16
Settling down in South Korea was a lot more challenging
109
360946
3143
在韩国定居比我想象的更加困难
06:19
than I had expected.
110
364089
2060
并且充满了挑战。
06:22
English was so important in South Korea,
111
366149
3429
英语在韩国太重要了，
06:25
so I had to start learning my third language.
112
369578
3283
所以我必须要开始学习第三门语言——英语。
06:28
Also, I realized there was a wide gap
113
372861
3177
此外，我意识到，
06:31
between North and South.
114
376038
1983
韩国与朝鲜之间有巨大的差异。
06:33
We are all Korean, but inside,
115
378021
2177
尽管我们都是朝鲜族人，
06:36
we have become very different
116
380198
1840
但是我们的内在已经变得非常不同了，
06:37
due to 67 years of division.
117
382038
3592
由于67年的分裂。
06:41
I even went through an identity crisis.
118
385630
4039
我甚至经历了自我身份的质疑。
06:45
Am I South Korean or North Korean?
119
389669
3240
我到底是韩国人还是朝鲜人？
06:48
Where am I from? Who am I?
120
392909
2959
我从哪里来？我是谁？
06:51
Suddenly, there was no country
121
395868
2036
突然间，我似乎无法骄傲地称任何一个国家
06:53
I could proudly call my own.
122
397904
5411
为我自己的国家。
06:59
Even though adjusting to life in South Korea was not easy,
123
403315
3991
尽管适应韩国的生活并不是易事，
07:03
I made a plan.
124
407306
1176
但是我还是决定
07:04
I started studying for the university entrance exam.
125
408482
3453
准备大学入学考试。
07:07
Just as I was starting to get used to my new life,
126
411935
4015
就在我刚开始习惯新生活不久，
07:11
I received a shocking phone call.
127
415950
2543
我接到了一个令人震惊的电话。
07:14
The North Korean authorities
128
418493
1421
朝鲜政府拦截了
07:15
intercepted some money that I sent to my family,
129
419914
2712
我寄回家的部分钱款，
07:18
and, as a punishment, my family was going
130
422626
2732
作为惩罚，我的家人要被
07:21
to be forcibly removed
131
425358
2337
强制搬走，
07:23
to a desolate location in the countryside.
132
427695
3468
搬到农村的一个偏僻的地方去。
07:27
They had to get out quickly,
133
431163
2720
他们必须要赶快逃走，
07:29
so I started planning how to help them escape.
134
433883
3565
所以我开始计划帮助他们逃脱。
07:33
North Koreans have to travel incredible distances
135
437448
3482
朝鲜人通往自由的道路
07:36
on the path to freedom.
136
440930
2629
是如此遥不可及。
07:39
It's almost impossible to cross the border
137
443559
2823
要想穿越朝鲜与韩国
07:42
between North Korea and South Korea,
138
446382
2858
的边境几乎是不可能的，
07:45
so, ironically, I took a flight back to China
139
449240
3466
所以，颇具讽刺意味的是，我坐飞机到了中国
07:48
and I headed toward the North Korean border.
140
452706
3622
然后再前往中朝边境。
07:52
Since my family couldn't speak Chinese,
141
456328
2864
因为我的家人不懂中文，
07:55
I had to guide them,
142
459192
2216
所以我得帮助他们
07:57
somehow, through more than 2,000 miles in China
143
461408
3803
在中国穿越2000多公里，
08:01
and then into Southeast Asia.
144
465211
3263
进入东南亚。
08:04
The journey by bus took one week,
145
468474
2542
我们在巴士上的旅途有一周之久，
08:06
and we were almost caught several times.
146
471016
3015
好几次都差点被抓住。
08:09
One time, our bus was stopped
147
474031
2641
又一次，我们坐的巴士被拦下了，
08:12
and boarded by a Chinese police officer.
148
476672
4459
一个中国警官上了车，
08:17
He took everyone's I.D. cards,
149
481131
2103
他查看每个人的身份证，
08:19
and he started asking them questions.
150
483234
2633
并开始问问题。
08:21
Since my family couldn't understand Chinese,
151
485867
3595
因为我的家人不懂中文，
08:25
I thought my family was going to be arrested.
152
489462
4134
我害怕他们会被抓住。
08:29
As the Chinese officer approached my family,
153
493596
2981
所以当那个中国警官快检查到我家人时，
08:32
I impulsively stood up, and I told him
154
496577
2509
我本能地站起来告诉他
08:34
that these are deaf and dumb people
155
499086
2667
这几位是聋哑人，
08:37
that I was chaperoning.
156
501753
2205
我是他们的监护人。
08:39
He looked at me suspiciously,
157
503958
2174
他怀疑地看着我，
08:42
but luckily he believed me.
158
506132
3884
但幸运地，他相信了我的话。
08:45
We made it all the way to the border of Laos,
159
510016
3111
就这样我们一路来到了老挝，
08:49
but I had to spend almost all my money
160
513127
4627
但是我却要几乎花光全部积蓄来
08:53
to bribe the border guards in Laos.
161
517754
2744
贿赂老挝的边境警察。
08:56
But even after we got past the border,
162
520498
2853
而且即使我们过了这一关，
08:59
my family was arrested and jailed
163
523351
2905
我的家人还是因非法入境，
09:02
for illegal border crossing.
164
526256
2509
被捕入狱了。
09:04
After I paid the fine and bribe,
165
528765
2216
在我交了罚金和贿赂用的钱后，
09:06
my family was released in one month,
166
530981
3589
我的家人一个月后被释放了，
09:10
but soon after, my family was arrested and jailed again
167
534570
3816
但不久后，他们在老挝的首都，
09:14
in the capital of Laos.
168
538386
2439
又被抓起来了。
09:16
This was one of the lowest points in my life.
169
540825
4568
那是我人生中最低落的时刻之一。
09:21
I did everything to get my family to freedom,
170
545393
5389
我为了让我的家人获得自由，倾尽所能
09:26
and we came so close,
171
550782
2374
然而就在快要成功的时候，
09:29
but my family was thrown in jail
172
553156
2297
家人却又要经历牢狱之灾，
09:31
just a short distance from the South Korean embassy.
173
555453
3544
并且这个监狱离朝鲜大使馆并不远。
09:34
I went back and forth between the immigration office
174
558997
3026
我在移民局和警察局，
09:37
and the police station,
175
562023
1731
来来回回折腾了好多次，
09:39
desperately trying to get my family out,
176
563754
3028
绝望地努力着，希望能把他们救出来，
09:42
but I didn't have enough money
177
566782
1452
但是我已没有足够的钱
09:44
to pay a bribe or fine anymore.
178
568234
2627
来贿赂或是交罚金了。
09:46
I lost all hope.
179
570861
1794
我心灰意冷。
09:48
At that moment, I heard one man's voice ask me,
180
572655
3701
就在这时，我听见一个人问我，
09:52
"What's wrong?"
181
576356
1491
“怎么了？”
09:53
I was so surprised
182
577847
1597
我很是诧异，
09:55
that a total stranger cared enough to ask.
183
579444
3933
一个完全的陌生人这样关切地询问。
09:59
In my broken English, and with a dictionary,
184
583377
2554
我用蹩脚的英文再借助字典，
10:01
I explained the situation, and without hesitating,
185
585931
3954
毫不犹豫地向那个人解释了情况。
10:05
the man went to the ATM
186
589885
2053
那个人走去ATM机，
10:07
and he paid the rest of the money for my family
187
591938
2995
为我的家人以及另两个朝鲜人
10:10
and two other North Koreans to get out of jail.
188
594933
4064
支付了出狱的剩余的所有费用。
10:14
I thanked him with all my heart, and I asked him,
189
598997
3404
我真心地感谢他，并问道，
10:18
"Why are you helping me?"
190
602401
2374
“你为什么要帮助我？”
10:20
"I'm not helping you," he said.
191
604775
2295
“我并不是在帮助你，”他回答，
10:22
"I'm helping the North Korean people."
192
607070
3251
“我是在帮助朝鲜的人们。“
10:26
I realized that this was a symbolic moment in my life.
193
610321
4498
我当时就意识到那是我人生很有象征意义的一个时刻。
10:30
The kind stranger symbolized new hope for me
194
614819
3589
那个善良的陌生人象征着我以及
10:34
and the North Korean people when we needed it most,
195
618408
3398
朝鲜人最需要的希望。
10:37
and he showed me the kindness of strangers
196
621806
3251
他使我明白，陌生人的善意
10:40
and the support of the international community
197
625057
2610
和国际社会的支持
10:43
are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.
198
627667
5221
真是我们朝鲜人需要的希望之光。
10:48
Eventually, after our long journey,
199
632888
2486
最终，在经历了漫长的旅行后，
10:51
my family and I were reunited in South Korea,
200
635374
3397
我和家人终于在韩国重聚。
10:54
but getting to freedom is only half the battle.
201
638771
3454
但是获得自由只是打赢了战争的一半。
10:58
Many North Koreans are separated from their families,
202
642225
3623
很多朝鲜人和他们的家人分离，
11:01
and when they arrive in a new country,
203
645848
2813
并且当他们来到新的国家时，
11:04
they start with little or no money.
204
648661
3644
他们通常都只有很少的钱，或者身无分文。
11:08
So we can benefit from the international community
205
652305
3026
所以我们可以通过国际社会的帮助
11:11
for education, English language training,
206
655331
3005
来接受教育，英语培训，
11:14
job training, and more.
207
658336
2363
工作培训等等。
11:16
We can also act as a bridge
208
660699
2114
我们还可以作为
11:18
between the people inside North Korea
209
662813
2125
世界与生活在朝鲜的同胞之间
11:20
and the outside world,
210
664938
1980
的沟通桥梁。
11:22
because many of us stay in contact
211
666918
2724
因为我们很多人都和
11:25
with family members still inside,
212
669642
2769
生活在朝鲜的家人保持联系。
11:28
and we send information and money
213
672411
2182
我们寄送回去的信息和钱
11:30
that is helping to change North Korea from inside.
214
674593
4568
都在内在地改变朝鲜。
11:35
I've been so lucky, received so much help
215
679161
3037
我是如此幸运，
11:38
and inspiration in my life,
216
682198
2205
在人生中得到了这么多帮助和启示，
11:40
so I want to help give aspiring North Koreans
217
684403
3344
所以我想帮助那些心怀梦想的朝鲜人
11:43
a chance to prosper
218
687747
2776
在国际的援助下，
11:46
with international support.
219
690523
3038
一个实现梦想的机会。
11:49
I'm confident that you will see more and more
220
693561
2486
我有信心你们将会看到越来越多的
11:51
North Koreans succeeding all over the world,
221
696047
2757
朝鲜人在世界的舞台上取得成功，
11:54
including the TED stage.
222
698804
2351
包括TED这个舞台。
11:57
Thank you.
223
701155
2622
谢谢
11:59
(Applause)
224
703777
9722
（掌声）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Hyeonseo Lee - ActivistAs a child growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee thoght her country was the "best on the planet." It wasn't until the famine of the 90s that she began to wonder. She escaped the country at 17-years-old to begin a life in hiding as a refugee in China. Hers is a harrowing, personal tale of survival and hope -- and a powerful reminder of those who face constant danger, even when the border is far behind.
Why you should listen
Hyeonseo Lee grew up in North Korea but escaped to China in 1997. In 2008, when she was 28-years-old, she came to Seoul, South Korea, where she struggled to adjust to life in the bustling city. North Korean defectors often have a hard time in South Korea, she noted in the Wall Street Journal: "We defectors have to start from scratch. Prejudice against North Koreans and icy stares were other obstacles that were hard to cope with."
Now a student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, she has become an advocate for fellow refugees, even helping close relatives leave North Korea after they were targeted. Her dream? As she told the Korea Times, she'd like to work at the UN or an NGO that advocates for the human rights of North Koreans, including their right to be treated as political refugees.
She has a new book called The Girl with Seven Names.
Hyeonseo Lee | Speaker | TED.com