Who is Lee Hyeon-seo?
Lee Hyeon-seo, a North Korean defector and human rights activist, shares her powerful story in her memoir The Girl with Seven Names. At 17, she escaped from Hyesan, North Korea, by crossing the Yalu River into China, where she lived in hiding for ten years. In 2008, she successfully reached South Korea, overcoming tremendous risks and hardship.
After settling in Seoul, Lee took on the mission of helping others. She guided her mother and brother through a dangerous escape route across China and Laos to reunite with her. Today, she actively speaks out for North Korean refugees and works to expose the regime’s human rights violations through public speaking and writing.
Lee Hyeon-seo’s age and birthday
Hyeon-seo was born on January 1, 1980, in Hyesan, a city in the northern part of North Korea, near the Chinese border. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn.
Lee Hyeon-seo height and weight
Hyeon-seo is approximately 1.7 meters (5 feet 7 inches) tall and weighs around 67 kilograms (148 pounds).
Lee Hyeon-seo’s educational background
Hyeon-seo completed her undergraduate studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, South Korea, where she majored in English and Chinese.
Lee Hyeon-seo dating life, spouse and children
Hyeon-seo married Brian Gleason in 2014. They have been husband and wife since then.
Lee Hyeon-seo nationality and ethnicity
Hyeon-seo was born in North Korea, which gave her North Korean nationality at birth. After defecting and resettling in South Korea, she obtained South Korean citizenship. She is ethnically Korean, belonging to a culturally and linguistically unified people, even though North and South Korea remain politically divided.
Lee Hyeon-seo parents and siblings
Her father significantly influenced her early life by urging her to study Chinese, a skill that later proved vital to her survival while hiding in China. She also has a younger brother, whom she helped flee North Korea along with their mother. Their dangerous and emotional journey through China and Laos forms a major part of her memoir, The Girl with Seven Names.
Lee Hyeon-seo career
Hyeon-seo built a remarkable career by turning her personal struggle into a force for global awareness. After escaping North Korea and surviving ten years in hiding in China, she resettled in South Korea in 2008 and began rebuilding her life. Her memoir, The Girl with Seven Names, marked a major turning point. In it, she detailed her escape and survival, and the book’s international success established her as a leading voice for North Korean defectors.
She rose to global prominence after delivering a powerful TED Talk in 2013, which reached millions of viewers and drew attention to the plight of North Korean refugees. Lee continued to share her story and advocate for human rights on major platforms such as the United Nations and the Oslo Freedom Forum. Her message resonated worldwide, reinforcing her role as both a survivor and a spokesperson for those still trapped under the North Korean regime.
Beyond public speaking, Lee collaborates with NGOs and policymakers to improve support systems for North Korean escapees. She actively works to raise awareness about the regime’s human rights violations and to push for policy changes. Through her activism, she connects her personal experience with broader efforts to protect refugees and defend human dignity.
Lee Hyeon-seo’s net worth and salary
She has a net worth of $200,000 and generates an annual salary of $108,000.
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