They risk being killed, imprisoned, or trafficked, as they escape through China, Mongolia, and different regions of southeast Asia.

當他們經過中國、蒙古和東南亞不同的區域逃脫時，冒著被殺、被囚禁、或是遭到人口販賣的風險。

This is Yeon Mi Park.

這位是朴延美。

She escaped North Korea when she was just 13 years old, and she described her ordeal to us.

她在 13 歲時逃出北韓，她向我們描述她痛苦的經歷。

I think, just life was so unbearable in North Korea.

我想，在北韓的生活就是太難以承受。

I found this note that my sister left, saying that, "Go find this person, and she will help you to go to China."

我找到這張我姐姐留下的紙條，上面寫「去找這個人，她會幫助你去到中國。」

We got that note, and my mother and I found the person, that lady.

我們拿到這張紙條，然後我媽媽和我找到了這個人，那位女士。

And then she told me that she had a few daughters, but she sent them all to China, and told me she could help us to go to China.

然後她告訴我們她有一些女兒，不過都把她們送到中國了，然後跟我說她能幫助我們去到中國。

And we did not know that she was a broker, or anything, just we thought, "This stranger woman wants to help us," and that's how we just followed her lead and we escaped at night, the very same day.

我們當時不知道她是個掮客，或其他任何事，我們只是想「這個陌生女子想幫助我們。」我們就這樣跟著她了。我們在夜晚逃離，就當晚。

Initially, I escaped to China, and I was being sold and trafficked and enslaved for two years there.

起初，我逃到中國，然後被賣掉，在那裡被奴役了兩年。

Park wasn't alone.

延美並非個案。

Around 70% of North Korean defectors are women, and many of them are targeted to be sold as brides or trafficked.

約有 70% 的脫北者是女性，其中許多都被鎖定為新娘販售或人口販賣的目標。

Defectors are considered illegal migrant workers, and are sent back to North Korea to face punishment if caught.

脫北者被視為是非法移工，被抓到的話，會被送回北韓，面臨刑罰。

My mother and myself, We crossed the Gobi Desert to Mongolia.

我媽媽和我，我們穿越了戈壁沙漠去到蒙古。

And, from Mongolia, we were there a few months, and then we flew to South Korea.

我們在蒙古待了幾個月，然後從那裡飛往南韓。

I think that when I was crossing the Gobi Desert, in minus 40 degrees at night in 2009, I was 15 by then.

我想在我們穿越戈壁沙漠時，在 2009 年負 40 度的夜晚中，我那時 15 歲。

I think wasn't scared of dying in that desert, I just thought, "Even this universe abandoned me."

我想我不害怕死在沙漠中，我只是想「就連這個宇宙都拋棄了我們。」

Like, I was punished that I was born in North Korea.

仿佛像是，就因為我出生在北韓，我就該被懲罰。

My crime was as simple as that, that I was born on the wrong side of the river.

我的罪也就那麼簡單，就只是我生在河岸兩旁錯的一邊。

She and her mother finally arrived in South Korea two years later in 2009.

她和她媽媽在兩年後，終於在 2009 年抵達南韓。

Once a North Korean defector makes it to South Korea, they're granted citizenship under the South Korean Nationality Law, which states that any person born on the Korean Peninsula is eligible to be a South Korean citizen, but first, they have to go through a lengthy screening and reeducation process.

脫北者一旦成功抵達南韓，在南韓國家法令下，他們就會被授予公民身份。這法令聲明，凡是任何出生在朝鮮半島的人，都有資格成為南韓公民，不過首先，他們必須先經過一段漫長的篩選和再教育過程。

Once cleared, defectors enter the Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees, commonly called Hanawon.

一旦徹查清楚，脫北者進到替北韓難民所設的定居支持中心，這地方通常被稱為 Hanawon。

They put us into a place called Hanawon Resettlement.

他們將我們帶入一個稱為 Hanawon 再定居的地方。

Everyone thinks that once you escape, once you arrive in the land of freedom, people think that's the end of the story, everyone is fine and happy, but that's not it.

每個人都認為一旦你逃出來了，一旦你抵達自由的土地，故事就結束了，每個人都很好很快樂，但並不是這樣。

Defectors spend up to three months learning the history of the Korean Peninsula, along with basic life skills like how to use an ATM, and shop for groceries.

脫北者會花上近三個月學習朝鮮半島歷史以及其他基本生活能力，像是如何使用 ATM，還有購買雜貨。

Many defectors are drastically behind in education, as North Korea emphasizes propaganda over skills like reading and math.

許多脫北者在教育上都大幅落後，因為北韓強調政治宣傳，重於像是閱讀和算數技能。

It can be difficult for Hanawon officials to address the needs of the defectors, due to the lack of information about North Korea.

由於缺乏北韓相關資料，Hanawon 官方很難滿足脫北者的需要。

Defectors can be unprepared for things Hanawon doesn't teach, such as understanding South Korea's ultra-competitive social structure.

Hanawon 沒教到的，脫北者也可能不會，比如了解南韓的高競爭社會結構。

Do you know how South Korean kids like working the entire night?

你知道南韓小孩整個晚上都在讀書嗎？

They have these specific tutors, all this unbelievable culture of education, that they spend all their life to go to these universities, and study English or that, that you can not ever catch up with them.

他們有這些特定的家教老師，所有這些難以想像的教育文化，他們會將生活的一切都花在準備考大學上，然後讀英文之類的，所以你根本追趕不上他們。

Additionally, social disparity and political tensions can lead to defectors facing discrimination from South Koreans.

除此之外，社會差異和政治緊張都會導致脫北者在南韓面臨歧視。

I'm not welcome.

我並不被歡迎。

I am a second-class citizen here.

我在這裡是二等公民。

So, that was really tiring in South Korea, because people never said any positive things about me, coming from North Korea and being a defector, because that was a stigma, that people just are so hard on you, even criticize, and traumatize us for what we've gone through or where we are from.

所以在南韓其實真的很累，因為人們從來沒說過和我有關的正面評論，來自北韓而且身為一個脫北者，這是個污名，人們就是會對你苛責，甚至批評、打擊我們，就因為我們過往的經歷或是我們的出處。

That's how hard it was as a defector, and really, really, sadly, there has been some people, actually, who even went back to North Korea from South Korea.

這就是身為一個脫北者的難處，而且真的真的很悲傷的是，有一些人甚至從南韓回到北韓。

At some point, it was so overwhelming that I was thinking, "Just give me enough frozen potatoes"

有些時候甚至是沉重到我會想「就給我夠吃的冷凍馬鈴薯吧。」

"I'm just gonna go back to North Korea."

「我要回去北韓了。」

Defectors can face a life of medical issues caused by malnutrition earlier in their lives.

脫北者可能因為先前生活的營養不良，而一生面臨健康問題。

They're also at higher risk of anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

他們也有較高的機率會焦慮、抑鬱和罹患創傷後症候群。

The suicide rate among North Korean defectors in South Korea is three times higher than South Koreans, and I think South Korea is one of the most high-suicide-rate countries.

在南韓，脫北者的自殺率是南韓人自殺率的三倍高，據我所知，南韓是世界上其中一個自殺率最高的國家。

Another challenge?

其他的挑戰呢？

Understanding freedom and victory it brings.

了解伴隨而來的自由和勝利。

To me, freedom was wearing jeans, or watching movies, or listening to hip-hop songs.

對我來說，自由就是穿牛仔褲，或是看電影，或是聽嘻哈音樂。

And, that's how simple it was.

自由就是那麼簡單。

Maybe wearing earrings, because in North Korea we don't have any freedom.

或許是戴耳環，因為在北韓我們沒有任何自由。

They tell us what to wear, what to listen, what to watch.

他們告訴我們要穿什麼、要聽什麼、要看什麼。

In South Korea, for instance, if you go shop, there are so many tons of kinds of pants.

在南韓，舉例來說，店裡有那麼多種褲子。

You gotta choose what you want to wear.

你要選擇你想穿的是什麼。

That's very simple, even that was overwhelming for me.

那非常簡單，就連這對我也很衝擊。

But, I am very grateful that I was born in North Korea today, because I'm the winner.

但是，在今日我對於出生在北韓很感激，因為我是贏家。

I survived, I fought for my freedom.

我存活了，我為了我的自由奮鬥。

It was not given to me, but I fought for it.

我並非生而自由，但我為自由而戰。

So, I want the North Korean defectors struggling in South Korea, that you should be very proud of yourself, and don't listen to anyone say that you are not enough, that you are different, you are not going to win.

所以，我希望在南韓努力掙扎的脫北者們要知道，你們應該對自己感到驕傲，不要聽任何人說你們不夠好，說你們不一樣，你們不會贏。

You are the winner already.

你們已經是贏家了。