My escape from North Korea | Hyeonseo Lee | TED

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

Translator: Eva Mamrillová Reviewer: Renáta Rudišinová

Ako malá

When I was little, I thought my country was the best on the planet.

som si myslela, že moja krajina je najlepšia na svete

And I grew up singing a song called "Nothing To Envy."

a vyrástla som s pesničkou zvanou „Niet čo závidieť".

Bola som veľmi hrdá.

And I was very proud.

In school, we spent a lot of time studying the history of Kim Il-Sung,

V škole sme

študovali históriu nášho komunistického vodca Kima II-Sunga,

but we never learned much about the outside world,

ale nikdy nás neučili nič o svete,

okrem toho, že Amerika, Južná Kórea a Japonsko sú naši nepriatelia.

except that America, South Korea, Japan are the enemies.

Aj keď ma svet vonku zaujímal,

Although I often wondered about the outside world,

vždy som si myslela, že svoj celý život prežijem v Severnej Kórei,

I thought I would spend my entire life in North Korea,

until everything suddenly changed.

až pokým sa všetko nezmenilo.

When I was seven years old, I saw my first public execution.

Keď som mala sedem rokov, po prvýkrát som uvidela verejnú popravu,

But I thought my life in North Korea was normal.

ale myslela som si, že môj život v Severnej Kórei je normálny.

Moja rodina nebola chudobná

My family was not poor,

and myself, I had never experienced hunger.

a nikdy som nepoznala, čo je to hlad.

But one day, in 1995, my mom brought home a letter

Až raz, v roku 1995, mama doniesla domov list

from a coworker's sister.

od kolegovej sestry.

It read, "When you read this,

Stálo v ňom: „Keď budete čítať tento list, nikto z 5 členov našej rodiny

our five family members will not exist in this world,

už nebude nažive,

pretože už dva týždne hladujeme.

because we haven't eaten for the past three weeks.

We are lying on the floor together,

Ležíme spolu na zemi

and our bodies are so weak, we are waiting to die."

a sme takí slabí, že sme pripravení na to najhoršie."

I was so shocked.

Šokovalo ma to.

This was the first time I heard that people in my country were suffering.

Po prvýkrát v živote som počula,

že ľudia v mojej krajine trpia.

Krátko na to som prechádzala okolo vlakovej stanice

Soon after, when I was walking past a train station,

I saw something terrible that to this day I can't erase from my memory.

a uvidela som niečo také strašné,

že na to nikdy nezabudnem.

A lifeless woman was lying on the ground,

Na zemi ležala mŕtva žena,

while an emaciated child in her arms

zatiaľ čo sa jej vyziabnuté dieťa

just stared helplessly at his mother's face.

bezmocne dívalo na matkinu tvár.

But nobody helped them,

Nikto im však nepomohol, pretože všetci sa sústredili

because they were so focused on taking care of themselves and their families.

len na seba a svoje rodiny.

A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s.

Severnú Kóreu v polovici 90. rokoch 20. storočia zasiahol obrovský hlad.

Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans died during the famine,

Dokopy zomrelo od hladu v Severnej Kórey viac ako milión ľudí

a mnoho prežilo len vďaka tomu,

and many only survived by eating grass, bugs and tree bark.

že sa živili trávou, chrobákmi a kôrou stromov.

Power outages also became more and more frequent,

Výpadky elektriny boli takisto bežné,

so everything around me was completely dark at night,

takže všetko naokolo bolo v noci úplne tmavé,

except for the sea of lights in China,

okrem svetiel v Číne,

just across the river from my home.

ktoré bolo vidieť z môjho rodného mesta cez rieku.

I always wondered why they had lights, but we didn't.

Vždy som sa čudovala, prečo tam elektrinu majú a my nie.

Toto je satelitná snímka Severnej Kórey v noci

This is a satellite picture showing North Korea at night,

compared to neighbors.

v porovnaní so susednými krajinami.

This is the Amnok River,

Toto je rieka Amrok,

which serves as a part of the border between North Korea and China.

ktorá je súčasťou hranice

medzi Severnou Kóreou a Čínou.

As you can see, the river can be very narrow at certain points,

Ako vidíte, na niektorých miestach je táto rieka veľmi úzka,

takže ľudia zo Severnej Kórey ju mohli potajme prekročiť.

allowing North Koreans to secretly cross.

But many die.

Mnoho z nich však zomrelo.

Sometimes, I saw dead bodies floating down the river.

Občas som videla na hladine rieky mŕtve telá.

I can't reveal many details about how I left North Korea,

Mnoho detailov o tom, ako som opustila Severnú Kóreu nemôžem prezradiť,

but I only can say that during the ugly years of the famine,

ale môžem povedať, že v období hrozného hladu

I was sent to China to live with distant relatives.

ma poslali žiť k vzdialeným príbuzným do Číny.

But I only thought that I would be separated from my family

Myslela som si,

že to bude len na krátku dobu.

for a short time.

I could have never imagined

Nikdy by som si nepomyslela,

that it would take 14 years to live together.

že bude trvať 14 rokov, kým znova uvidím svoju rodinu.

Pre mladé dievča bez rodiny bolo nesmierne ťažké žiť v Číne.

In China, it was hard living as a young girl without my family.

I had no idea what life was going to be like

Netušila som, aký život ma čaká

as a North Korean refugee.

ako utečenkyňu zo Severnej Kórey,

But I soon learned it's not only extremely difficult,

ale rýchlo som prišla na to, že to nebude len veľmi ťažké,

it's also very dangerous,

ale aj veľmi nebezpečné,

since North Korean refugees are considered in China as illegal migrants.

keďže utečencov zo Severnej Kórey považovali v Číne

za nelegálnych prisťahovalcov.

So I was living in constant fear that my identity could be revealed,

Žila som v neustálom strachu,

že odhalia moju identitu

and I would be repatriated to a horrible fate,

a že ma pošlú naspäť do Severnej Kórey,

back in North Korea.

do toho hrozného hladu.

One day, my worst nightmare came true,

Jedného dňa sa naplnila moja najhoršia nočná mora,

when I was caught by the Chinese police,

keď ma chytili čínski policajti

and brought to the police station for interrogation.

a vypočúvali ma na policajnej stanici.

Someone had accused me of being North Korean,

Niekto ma obvinil, že som Severokórejčanka,

so they tested my Chinese language abilities,

takže si overovali moju čínštinu

and asked me tons of questions.

a dávali mi nespočetne veľa otázok.

I was so scared.

Bola som taká vystrašená,

I thought my heart was going to explode.

že som mala pocit, že mi srdce vyskočí z hrude.

If anything seemed unnatural, I could be imprisoned and repatriated.

Ak by sa im čo i len jediná vec nepozdávala,

mohli ma uväzniť a poslať naspäť.

I thought my life was over.

Myslela som si, že sa môj život skončil,

But I managed to control all the emotions inside me,

ale podarilo sa mi ovládnuť emócie

and answer the questions.

a zodpovedať všetky otázky.

Keď sa vypočúvanie skončilo,

After they finished questioning me,

one official said to another,

jeden z policajtov povedal tomu druhému,

"This was a false report. She's not North Korean."

„Bol to falošný poplach.

Nie je to Severokórejčanka."

And they let me go. It was a miracle.

A pustili ma. Bol to zázrak.

Some North Koreans in China seek asylum in foreign embassies.

Niektorí Severokórejčania v Číne hľadajú útočisko

na zahraničných veľvyslanectvách,

But many can be caught by the Chinese police,

ale môže ich chytiť čínska polícia

and repatriated.

a vyhostiť.

These girls were so lucky.

Tieto dievčatá mali šťastie.

Even though they were caught,

Aj keď ich chytili,

they were eventually released, after heavy international pressure.

napokon ich na medzinárodný nátlak

pustili.

Títo Severokórejčania však toľko šťastia nemali.

These North Koreans were not so lucky.

Every year, countless North Koreans are caught in China

Každý rok chytia v Číne mnoho Severokórejčanov

and repatriated to North Korea,

a pošlú ich naspäť do Kórey,

where they can be tortured, imprisoned, or publicly executed.

kde ich mučia, uväznia

alebo verejne popravia.

Even though I was really fortunate to get out,

Aj keď sa mi podarilo ujsť,

many other North Koreans have not been so lucky.

mnoho Severokórejčanov nemalo to šťastie.

It's tragic that North Koreans have to hide their identities

Je tragédiou, že Severokórejčania musia skrývať svoju identitu

and struggle so hard just to survive.

a bojovať, aby vôbec prežili.

Even after learning a new language and getting a job,

Aj keď sa naučia jazyk a získajú prácu,

their whole world can be turned upside down in an instant.

ich celý svet sa môže v sekunde zrútiť.

That's why, after 10 years of hiding my identity,

Práve preto, po 10 rokoch skrývania svojej identity,

som sa rozhodla riskovať, ísť do Južnej Kórey

I decided to risk going to South Korea.

And I started a new life yet again.

a začať svoj život odznova.

Settling down in South Korea

Usadiť sa v Južnej Kórei bolo omnoho náročnejšie

was a lot more challenging than I had expected.

ako som čakala.

English was so important in South Korea,

V Južnej Kórei musíte vedieť po anglicky,

so I had to start learning my third language.

takže som sa začala učiť tretí jazyk.

Also, I realized there was a wide gap between North and South.

Takisto som si uvedomila aké rozdiely

existujú medzi Severom a Juhom.

We are all Korean, but inside,

Všetci sme Kórejčania, ale vo vnútri,

we have become very different, due to 67 years of division.

sme veľmi rozdielni

pre 67 rokov, ktoré sme už rozdelení.

Dokonca som zažila krízu identity.

I even went through an identity crisis.

Am I South Korean or North Korean?

Som Juhokórejčanka alebo Severokórejčanka?

Where am I from? Who am I?

Odkiaľ som? Kto som?

Suddenly, there was no country I could proudly call my own.

Zrazu som nevedela,

ktorú krajinu môžem hrdo nazvať svojou domovinou.

Even though adjusting to life in South Korea was not easy,

Aj keď bolo prispôsobenie sa životu v Južnej Kórei ťažké,

I made a plan -- I started studying for the university entrance exam.

mala som plán.

Začala som sa učiť na prijímačky na vysokú školu.

Just as I was starting to get used to my new life,

Práve keď som si už začala zvykať na svoj nový život,

I received a shocking phone call.

dostala som šokujúci telefonát.

The North Korean authorities intercepted some money

Severokórejske úrady

zablokovali peniaze, ktoré som poslala rodine,

that I sent to my family,

a za trest mali moju rodinu

and, as a punishment, my family was going to be forcibly removed

vysťahovať

na zbedačený vidiek.

to a desolate location in the countryside.

They had to get out quickly.

Museli sa odtiaľ okamžite dostať,

So I started planning how to help them escape.

takže som začala plánovať ich útek.

North Koreans have to travel incredible distances

Severokórejčania museli na ceste za slobodou

on the path to freedom.

prejsť neskutočné vzdialenosti.

It's almost impossible to cross the border

Je takmer nemožné prekročiť hranicu

between North Korea and South Korea.

medzi Severnou a Južnou Kóreou,

So, ironically, I took a flight back to China

takže paradoxne, som odletela naspäť do Číny

and headed toward the North Korean border.

a vydala sa k severokórejskej hranici.

Keďže nik z mojej rodiny nehovoril po čínsky,

Since my family couldn't speak Chinese,

I had to guide them somehow through more than 2,000 miles

musela som ich nejako previesť,

viac ako 3000 kilometrov cez Čínu

in China, and then into Southeast Asia.

a potom do juhovýchodnej Ázie.

Cesta autobusom trvala týždeň

The journey by bus took one week,

and we were almost caught several times.

a niekoľkokrát nás takmer chytili.

One time, our bus was stopped and boarded by a Chinese police officer.

Raz náš autobus zastavili

a nastúpili doň čínsky policajt.

He took everyone's I.D. cards,

Pozbieral všetky občianske preukazy

and he started asking them questions.

a začal sa vypytovať.

Since my family couldn't understand Chinese,

Keďže moja rodina mu nerozumela,

myslela som si, že ich zatkne.

I thought my family was going to be arrested.

Keď prišiel čínsky policajt k mojej rodine,

As the Chinese officer approached my family,

I impulsively stood up, and I told him

z ničoho nič som sa pred neho postavila a povedala mu,

that these are deaf and dumb people that I was chaperoning.

že sú to hluchonemí ľudia,

ktorých sprevádzam.

He looked at me suspiciously,

Podozrievavo sa na mňa pozrel,

but luckily, he believed me.

ale našťastie mi uveril.

We made it all the way to the border of Laos.

Podarilo sa nám dostať až k hranici s Laosom,

But I had to spend almost all my money

no minula som takmer všetky svoje peniaze

to bribe the border guards in Laos.

ako úplatok pre hraničných policajtov v Laose.

Potom čo sme prekročili hranicu,

But even after we got past the border,

my family was arrested and jailed for illegal border crossing.

moju rodinu chytili a uväznili

za nepovolený vstup do krajiny.

After I paid the fine and bribe,

Keď som zaplatila pokutu a úplatok,

my family was released in one month.

moju rodinu po mesiaci pustili,

But soon after, my family was arrested and jailed again,

ale čoskoro ich opäť uväznili

in the capital of Laos.

v hlavnom meste Laosu.

This was one of the lowest points in my life.

Bol to jeden z najhorších momentov môjho života,

I did everything to get my family to freedom,

urobila som úplne všetko, aby som dostala rodinu na slobodu,

and we came so close,

boli sme tak blízko,

but my family was thrown in jail,

ale opäť ich uväznili,

just a short distance from the South Korean embassy.

blízko veľvyslanectva Južnej Kórey.

I went back and forth between the immigration office

Chodila som hore-dole z emigračného úradu

and the police station,

na policajnú stanicu,

desperately trying to get my family out.

zúfalo sa snažiac dostať moju rodinu z väzenia,

but I didn't have enough money to pay a bribe or fine anymore.

ale nemala som dosť peňazí

na úplatky alebo pokutu.

I lost all hope.

Stratila som všetku nádej.

A v tom momente sa mi prihovoril akýsi muž.

At that moment, I heard one man's voice ask me,

"What's wrong?"

„Čo sa deje?"

I was so surprised that a total stranger cared enough to ask.

Prekvapilo ma,

že sa ku mne prihovoril cudzinec.

In my broken English, and with a dictionary,

Lámanou angličtinou a s pomocou slovníka,

I explained the situation, and without hesitating,

som mu vysvetlila situáciu a bez váhania

the man went to the ATM,

šiel k bankomatu,

and he paid the rest of the money for my family,

zaplatil zvyšok peňazí

and two other North Koreans to get out of jail.

a dostal moju rodinu a ďalších dvoch Severokórejčanov z väzenia.

I thanked him with all my heart, and I asked him,

Z celého srdca som mu poďakovala a opýtala sa ho,

"Why are you helping me?"

„Prečo mi pomáhate?"

"I'm not helping you," he said.

„Nepomáham Vám," odpovedal.

"I'm helping the North Korean people."

„Pomáham ľuďom zo Severnej Kórey."

I realized that this was a symbolic moment in my life.

Pochopila som, že toto je symbolická chvíľa v mojom živote.

The kind stranger symbolized new hope for me and the North Korean people,

Tento milý cudzinec dal novú nádej mne

a ľuďom zo Severnej Kórey, keď sme to najviac potrebovali,

when we needed it most.

And he showed me that the kindness of strangers

ukázal mi, že milosť

and the support of the international community

a podpora medzinárodného spoločenstva

sú pravou nádejou, ktorú potrebuje Severná Kórea.

are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.

Eventually, after our long journey,

Napokon, po našej dlhej ceste,

my family and I were reunited in South Korea.

sme sa konečne ja a moja rodina stretli v Južnej Kórei,

But getting to freedom is only half the battle.

ale dostať sa na slobodu je len polovica úspechu.

Many North Koreans are separated from their families,

Mnoho Severokórejčanov je oddelených od svojich rodín,

and when they arrive in a new country,

a keď sa dostanú do novej krajiny,

they start with little or no money.

začínajú s málo alebo žiadnymi peniazmi.

So we can benefit from the international community

Takže môžeme získať podporu od medzinárodného spločenstva

for education, English language training, job training, and more.

na vzdelanie, výučbu angličtiny,

pracovné kurzy a mnoho ďalších vecí.

Takisto môžeme slúžiť ako most

We can also act as a bridge

between the people inside North Korea and the outside world.

medzi Severokórejčanmi

a vonkajším svetom,

Because many of us stay in contact with family members still inside,

pretože mnoho z nás je stále v kontakte

s rodinou v Kórei

and we send information and money

a zásobujeme ich informáciami a peniazmi,

that is helping to change North Korea from inside.

ktoré pomáhajú meniť Severnú Kóreu zvnútra.

I've been so lucky, received so much help and inspiration in my life,

Mala som obrovské šťastie, dostalo sa mi veľkej pomoci

a inšpirácie do života,

so I want to help give aspiring North Koreans

takže chcem dať ctižiadostivým Severokórejčanom

a chance to prosper with international support.

šancu na zlepšenie

spolu s medzinárodnou podporou.

I'm confident that you will see more and more North Koreans

Som presvedčená, že sa stále viac a viac

Severokórejčanov stane úspešnými po celom svete,

succeeding all over the world,

including the TED stage.

vrátane na javisku TED-u.

Thank you.

Ďakujem.

(Applause)

(Potlesk)