Seung Suk Byun, born in 1929 in Hwanghae Province, North Korea, grew up in a poor farming family. Despite a strong desire for education, economic hardships forced him to leave school after the third year of middle school. He only continued his studies thanks to his uncle’s financial support, which included paying for his school fees and gifting him a bicycle.
The outbreak of the Korean War dramatically altered Mr. Byun’s life during his 6th-grade year. Faced with the chaos and danger of the conflict, Mr. Byun and his family had to make a desperate escape. Initially hiding in mountains and forests due to the lack of space on escape boats, Mr. Byun vividly recalls the perilous moments of hiding in manure to avoid detection. His eventual escape was fraught with danger; only by the aid of friends was he pulled to safety onto a boat after nearly being left behind, resulting in the loss of the only provisions he had, two packs of rice, due to the hasty departure.
Mr. Byun’s connection to North Korea remained strong through his family ties. He was in an arranged marriage with a woman who, during the war, became pregnant with another man’s child and gave birth to a daughter. While Mr. Byun escaped, his wife, pregnant at the time, stayed behind in North Korea. Tragically, she passed away at the age of 28. In 2005, Mr. Byun had the opportunity to return to North Korea, where he brought 2000 antibiotic pills and suitcases filled with gifts for his family, leaving behind everything but his clothes and a toothbrush for his return journey. His daughter remains in North Korea, maintaining the familial link to his homeland despite the geographical and political divide.
This interview was filmed on July 18th, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA
