Yeonmi Park Biography And Wiki
Yeonmi Park is a North Korean defector, author, YouTuber, and conservative activist in the United States. Born on October 4, 1993, in Hyesan, North Korea, she fled the country at age 13 in 2007, first seeking refuge in China before moving to South Korea and eventually settling in the U.S. In 2015, she published her memoir In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom, which sold over 100,000 copies. Yeonmi gained global recognition after delivering a powerful speech at the 2014 One Young World Summit in Dublin, Ireland.
Age And Birthday
Yeonmi Park was born on October 4, 1993, making her 31 years old in 2024.
Height And Weight
Yeonmi Park is 5 feet 4 inches (164 cm) tall and weighs around 54 kg (114 lbs).
Education Background
Park’s educational journey is impressive. After arriving in South Korea with just a second-grade education, she quickly earned her high school equivalency in only 18 months. She then attended Dongguk University in Seoul before moving to the United States, where she enrolled at Columbia University to study General Studies. However, her education was interrupted when she became pregnant. Yeonmi’s perseverance to continue her education despite numerous challenges is truly inspiring.
Nationality And Ethnicity
Yeonmi Park was born in North Korea and later became a naturalized American citizen. She is of Korean ethnicity.
Milestones, Significant Contributions, And Notable Works
Milestones
Yeonmi Park escaped North Korea in 2007 at the age of 13, first fleeing to China and later to South Korea. She gained global recognition after delivering a powerful speech at the 2014 One Young World Summit in Dublin, Ireland. In addition, she became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Significant Contributions
Yeonmi Park has become a strong advocate for human rights, particularly focusing on the plight of North Korean defectors and the oppressive regime in her homeland. She has spoken at various international events and uses her YouTube channel, “Voice of North Korea by Yeonmi Park,” to raise awareness, with over a million subscribers.
Notable Works
In 2015, she published her memoir, In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom, which tells the story of her escape and journey to freedom, selling over 100,000 copies. Her second book, While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector’s Search for Freedom in America, published in 2023, continues her story and details her experiences in the U.S.
Husband and Children
Yeonmi Park married Ezekiel on January 4, 2017, but they divorced in 2020. Together, they had a son, James, who was born on October 8, 2018.
Family, Siblings, Parents
Yeonmi Park’s family has been crucial to her life and journey. Her father, Park Jin-Sik, was a civil servant in North Korea and was imprisoned for smuggling goods, later being released on sick leave. Her mother, Byeon Keum-Sook, worked as a nurse for the Korean People’s Army. Yeonmi has an older sister, Eunmi, who also escaped North Korea and reunited with Yeonmi in South Korea, while her younger brother, Hyesan, still lives in North Korea. Despite facing many hardships, including her father’s imprisonment and their escape, her family has provided Yeonmi with strength and support.
Career
Yeonmi Park’s early career began with her dramatic escape from North Korea in 2007 at the age of 13. After fleeing to China, she eventually made her way to South Korea, where her journey toward freedom began. In 2011, she gained media attention when she appeared on the South Korean show “Now On My Way to Meet You,” marking the start of her public life.
Yeonmi’s rise to prominence came in 2014 when she delivered a powerful speech at the One Young World Summit in Dublin, Ireland. This speech earned her global recognition and solidified her as a voice for human rights. The following year, she published her memoir, In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom, which has since sold over 100,000 copies, further establishing her as a prominent figure.
In her current career, Yeonmi runs the YouTube channel “Voice of North Korea by Yeonmi Park,\” where she has amassed over one million subscribers. She uses the platform to continue speaking out about human rights issues and her experiences. Additionally, she has become a conservative political commentator in the United States, critiquing political correctness and “woke” culture.
Yeonmi’s advocacy continued with the release of her second book in 2023, While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector’s Search for Freedom in America. This book details her experiences in the United States, expanding on the themes of freedom and identity that have shaped her public life.
Hobbies And Personal Challenges
Hobbies
Yeonmi Park enjoys writing, as seen in her memoirs and social media presence. She is passionate about human rights and often shares stories of North Korean defectors. Public speaking is another interest, as she uses her platform to raise awareness about North Korea. She also enjoys reading books on human rights and resilience for inspiration.
Personal Challenges
Yeonmi has faced many challenges in her life. She escaped North Korea by crossing the Gobi Desert and avoiding human traffickers. She has openly discussed the trauma she endured, including witnessing her mother\’s rape and her father’s death. Adapting to new cultures and languages when she moved from North Korea to China, South Korea, and the United States was also difficult. As a well-known defector, Yeonmi has faced public scrutiny and criticism over the accuracy of her story.
Net Worth
Yeonmi Park\’s estimated net worth is approximately $750,000, which she has accumulated through her work as an author, public speaker, and human rights activist.
Major Achievements
Follow Yeonmi Park on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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