Ryu Seong-hyeon
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- Human rights activist
Ryu Seong-hyeon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ryu Seong-hyeon |
| Other names | Ryu Seong-hyun |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2020 - present |
Ryu Seong-hyeon (Korean: 류성현) is a North Korean defector and former soldier who gained international attention after his rare defection across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to South Korea in 2019.[1][2] He is known for his advocacy for human rights and Korean unification, and he serves as a media commentator on North Korean military affairs.[2][3]
Ryu was born in Kangwon Province, near the inter-Korean border in North Korea.[2] As a teenager, he found a South Korean propaganda leaflet which claimed the North had started the Korean War, contradicting official North Korean history.[2] This incident planted a "seed of doubt" about the regime's narratives and motivated him to seek a life in South Korea.[2]
He served for seven years as a driver in the North Korean air force in South Hamgyong Province.[2] During his service, he endured severe living conditions, including poor food (eating mushy rice mixed with corn and rarely having meat) and physically demanding labor.[2] He later stated that at the time, he would have even volunteered to go to war in Ukraine if it meant better food.[2]
Defection to South Korea
In 2019, Ryu made a rare and dangerous defection by running across the heavily fortified and mine-riddled DMZ.[1] He successfully crossed the border despite coming under fire from North Korean troops; he later recalled hearing twelve bullets pass just a meter over his head.[2]
Upon his defection, he weighed only around 110 lbs due to malnutrition, a condition common among North Korean soldiers.[1]