Defector Lee Geon Yeong (alias, pictured left; Image: Daily NK) is originally from a small village in North Hamkyung Province, North
Korea. The eldest of three, he was an inquisitive, precocious child,
always questioning, “What does the outside world look like? Is where I am now
better than out there?”
Naturally, these thoughts sparked a desire
inside Lee to discover what lay beyond the borders of North Korea. After
confessing these impulses to a close friend, he unwittingly imparted this sense of curiosity to his confidant. These words eventually transformed into
action: after a few years passed, the same friend asked Lee if he wanted to
escape. The notion’s origins as a quixotic joke cast away, the two successfully arrived in
China after making the perilous journey across the Tumen River.
Fortunately, and rather surprisingly, Lee
and his companion crossed paths with a kind stranger who provided them with
food and knowledge on how to avoid detection and subsequent apprehension by
the police. After spending two years in China together, his friend headed to
South Korea, and Lee followed soon thereafter. “As the plane landed, my misgivings crept in. I thought, ‘This isn’t North Korea right?’ That’s how worried
and nervous I was at the time. But after seeing the brightly lit night view of
Seoul, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief, realizing that I had finally
arrived.”
Studying: the shortcut to success
Following his time at Hanawon, the
government resettlement center for North Korean defectors, Lee officially began
his life in South Korea, inundated with advice from those around him urging him to secure
work, the best route to a steady flow of money, as quickly as possible. Lee, on the other hand, felt differently. “I felt that I should first try to experience life here before
diving into a career. As I was completely unfamiliar with the South Korean
lifestyle, as well its culture, it made me question if it was such a good idea
to thoughtlessly find a job,” he said.
Instead, Lee resolved to first hone his skills and learn a trade, in his case, mechanical engineering, of which he had some prior experience in North Korea. This proved
to be more of an undertaking than he realized–the highly advanced South used
computers for everything. The ability to operate machinery manually, a
highly-valuable skill in the North, was outdated, if not nearly obsolete, in the South.
“It was at this time that I became very well aware of how much I needed to
continue studying,” Lee recalled.
“At the time, I thought to myself, ‘Koreans
are very familiar with the computer processing involved with mechanical engineering,
but not the hands-on work. If I learn the science behind mechanics, and combine
it with my hands-on work experience, I can become an even better engineer,” he explained.
Lee promptly devoted himself to improving
his computer skills, and the complications arising from language divergences
notwithstanding, was able to rapidly retain and apply large quantities of
complex information. He graduated with impressive grades and earned the
attention of a woman who admired his passion for hard work and study–the two
married soon thereafter.
Lee secured a job at a semiconductor
company for a few years before going to establish his own business specializing
in super precision machinery in 2006. Shortly after establishing his business, it earned the status of a venture certified company, a term affiliated with South
Korea’s special measures for promotion of venture start-ups, and began receiving shipment orders from a
number of major companies.
Never stop studying
 Image: Daily NK |
Currently a doting husband and father, as
well as the owner of a business carving out its place in the market economy, Lee counts
his blessings every day. Life finally affords him a bit of spare time and
money, but he has decided to redirect this good fortune to pursue further study.
Lee, who, due to demands in his field, lamented not taking up Japanese earlier, is currently enrolled in the
Japanese department at Korea National Open University. His plans extend far beyond solely learning Japanese, he said, with hopes to continue to learn as
much as possible, perhaps even attain a doctorate degree. “Even if one has
all the strength to move the world, without knowledge he or she cannot do
anything,” he pointed out when pressed on the motivations behind his tireless dedication to study.
Frequently asked by defectors about his successful settlement, and how they might achieve their own, Lee concluded by offering some words of wisdom. “Although it was a bit of a different situation for me,
I advise that you be patient and make decisions only after careful
deliberation. While encountering hardships is
certain, you may also be tempted to become dependent on the money you get from
the country or the help you get from others around you. However, true
settlement is being able to live on your own without the support of others. After realizing that, you can say you’ve truly
settled,” he said.
*This article was made possible by support
from the Korea Hana Foundation [the North Korean Refugees Foundation].
