Exactly a month after sending Moon Yoon-hee to a Chinese man, we met 41-year-old Son Mi-young. She was bought by a 45-year-old ethnic Korean in China, Lee Ho-young. His reason was to use her as a means of getting a visa to South Korea. North Korean women get legal identities if they go to South Korea, so if a man marries a North Korean woman, he can go to South Korea too. On the night of Nov. 21, 2007, Mi-young crossed the Duman or Tumen River with her guide.
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A 45-year-old ethnic Korean in China, Lee Ho-young
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The next day, we met Mi-young and Ho-young. Her father was taken away by the communist party just because he had been heard to say that China was better than North Korea. The entire family were driven from Pyongyang to North Hamgyeong Province. Her sister's family attempted to flee but were captured by Chinese border guards, and her brother-in-law died after suffering more than six months of torture.
Ho-young proposed going to South Korea, but she instantly refused. "I crossed the river to find and take care of my nephew, who's left alone here in China. I'm the only family he's got left. I'm going to find him to be his family. Why should I go to South Korea? What can I do over there?"
Looking at the news team, she suddenly cried out, "You think I have no idea, do you? You're spies. People send North Korean refugees in China to jail." She thought we would promise to send her to South Korea while the camera was running, but once it was off she would be taken away. "I have a poison pill in my pocket," she screamed. "I can kill myself any moment."
Ten days later, Mi-young ran away from Ho-young's house. The man was angry. "North Koreans are like that. Not even an animal will betray his master the way they do," he said. But he did not give up; he merely changed his plan to get a younger woman whom he could force to go to South Korea, no matter what it might take.
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