 Image: Daily NK |
“The North Korean military is plagued by a
constant lack of food, so we would get our own by wearing diving suits and
going after our own supply. I knew that there were divers in South Korea, and
in 2006, after completing my education at Hanawon [the government resettlement center for defectors], I came to Daejin-ri in
Goseong County, Gangwon Province, where there are still traditional divers.”
These words come from Park Myung Ho [pictured left], who escaped from North Korea to the South; he boards a boat in the in the
wee hours of each morning without fail to dive for seven-hour stretches, collecting octopi, sea cucumbers, and sea squirts along the shores of Daejin.This type of deep-sea diving requires people to wear thick diving suits and heavy helmets that can weigh up to a total of 50kg.
Different mindset made resettlement in
South easier
After three years of dedication to his
work, he has been able to buy a house. The following year, he even became the
owner of a diving operations company with three employees.
“Even
though things are not completely stable yet, I don’t have much more to wish for
because I have employees, a house, and a boat. I’m even more grateful since my
neighbors consider me a member of the village,” Park said, adding that he feels he made the
right decision to get out of his [state-supported] apartment and settle down in
a fishing village. He believes that farming and fishing communities–when compared to big cities– offer greater stability for defectors looking to resettle in South Korea. This mentality compelled him to purchase his own home instead of relying on the rental available from the South Korean government.
“A
lot of defectors come to me to listen to my story. Some have even found work
through me. After my company becomes more stable, I want to create jobs for other
defectors,” Park says. He’s become somewhat of an icon in his neighborhood, appearing on TV and always flooded with people looking for guidance.
But Park doesn’t this success go to his head or prevent him from dabbling in other fields. Of particular interest to him are matters of national security, on which he delivers lectures once a month, seeking to illuminate these complex issues for people in a relatable way. “North Korean defectors are the product of political
conflict between South and North Korea. In that sense, it’s only natural that I
share the knowledge that I have with others,” he points out.
Park has no plans to stop these presentations until such time as a discernible shift in people’s perceptions and attitudes toward national security on the Korean Peninsula arrives. “Until
I see that day of improved awareness in South Korea, I will offer all I have–be it on land or in the sea,” Park says.
*This article was made possible by support
from the Korea Hana Foundation [the North Korean Refugees Foundation].
