Chicago Korean Dream Poster
Young people have the ability to face adversity head-on and show us the way to a brighter future, even when the conflict at hand is long and arduous, and a successful outcome seems like a difficult task to achieve. This is especially relevant with the Korean Dream of a unified Korea, where young people, through their actions and voices, are working to attain this aspirational goal.
On May 19, 2025, Alliance for Korea United (AKU) USA, Global Peace Foundation (GPF), Empowerment of North Koreans (ENoK) at the University of Chicago, and Liberty in North Korea (LINK) at UCLA joined forces to host the online event “Korean Dream: Voices of Young North Korean Escapees for a Unified Korea.” These organizations support a unified Korea and advocate for North Korean escapees.
Namsik Yoo, the AKU USA director of Youth Programs, moderated the virtual event hosted at the University of Chicago that highlighted the inspiring stories of two young North Korean escapees. After brief organizational overviews from several of the host sponsors, two young escapees, Juhyeon Kim and Seonghyeon Ryu, spoke from the heart about their experiences living in North Korea and escaping to South Korea, and the importance of a unified Korea.
Juhyeon Kim, AKU team leader, was the first speaker. She recounted her experience of being born in Russia, raised in North Korea, and now living freely in South Korea. After being exposed to the roles of the international community, Juhyeon realized her lack of freedom in North Korea. She convinced her parents to undertake a dangerous risk and defect to South Korea by plane from a small North Korean city.
Chicago Korean Dream Poster
Why did she and her family embark on this risky journey? According to Juhyeon, “It was for the one percent of hope, despite the 99 percent chance of danger, that I chose to do this because this was a moment, not simply about crossing a border, but about making a choice to alter my fate. Ultimately, my parents and I have succeeded in this bold venture.” She noted that only after her escape did she realize what it meant to live as a human being.
Juhyeon further shared what the significance of a unified Korea meant to her. “I want to emphasize that we all should know how the unification of the Korean peninsula is a responsibility, not a choice, to create a country where the people of the Korean peninsula, the Korean people can live freely and with integrity, and to also achieve the goal of world peace is what I believe the vision of the Korean Dream is.”
Next, Seonghyeon Ryu, a university student, shared his experience of escaping from North Korea. As a former member of the North Korean military who made a courageous and dangerous escape to South Korea by crossing the DMZ in 2019, he outlined the hardships that mandatory military service places on North Korea’s young people. They include enlistment at age 17 for young men, 10 years of service, constant hunger, sleep deprivation, and at times, fighting in the wars of other countries.
Seonghyeon described life in the North Korean military as very controlling, isolating, lacking intimacy, and socially excluding. He further noted that in North Korea, “physical life is temporary; political life is eternal.” Only after living in South Korea did he realize that his life and the lives of others were just as important as those of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, which is counter to what he was taught growing up in North Korea.
His final words of caution and concern were about the lack of human rights in North Korea, which the country’s leaders dismiss as outside political pressure. He said, “If you ever come face to face with the North Korean leader, please remember they’re the ones dehumanizing people and crossing their rights. And as you go about your life, please don’t forget that just beyond the northern border of the Korean peninsula, millions of people are suffering under a dictator.”
The event ended with the moderator engaging the virtual attendees in a Q&A with the two young speakers, announcing future opportunities, and appealing for continued advocacy for a free and unified Korea.
Dr. Hyunjin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of GPF, challenges us to “dream big” and to collectively work for a unified Korea. The young people who organized and participated in the “Korean Dream: Voices of Young North Korean Escapees for a Unified Korea” online event are showing us how to do exactly that.
