Thread:TheMysteriousHood/@comment-27021824-20170702162656

Inspired by the video made by Kento Bento.

If you are a poor North Korean, living in inhumane condition, probably eating mice, dirt and other bad food, or you are a person who ended inside North Korea but cannot find a way out, here are some ways that you can escape North Korea

No 1. Demilitarized Zone.

First of all, escaping or leaving Democratic People's Republic of Korea is an ultimate crime in the country, and a violation of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, those who try to escape risk execution, lifetime in prison camps or torture, those who escape with success risk their families getting imprisoned due of three generations of punishment.

Anyway, let's continue.

Korean Demilitarized zone between North and South Korea is 250 kilometers (160 miles) long strip of land running across the Korean peninsula, it was made as an buffer zone between these two countries, however, despite it's name, The Korean Demilitarized zone is the most guarded and dangerous border in the world, if you want to escape, the biggest risks are land mines, electric fences, or risk of getting shot by guards, this way of escaping is the most dangerous of all, civilians almost never make it across, and almost all who escape are the soldiers that are supposed to be guarding the border.

No 2. The Sea.

Escaping North Korea by sea looks like an more preferable option than the DMZ. North Korea is surrounded by Yellow sea and Korea Bay on the West and Sea of Japan on the East, giving it's citizens two sea for escaping.

Escaping from North Korea by west coast (Korean Bay and Yellow Sea):

The Yellow Sea, althrough closer to South Korea, is much riskier nowadays, because North Korean goverment is now aware of this problem, and there is now a high risk of getting caught by naval patrol. Escaping through Korean Bay is safer due of far less naval patrols, however, drifitng too far risks you into entering China, since these two nations are allies, China will deport any North Koreans who end up being caught, becuase China considers them as illegal economic migrants, those who end up caught will probably suffer execution or sentence in labor camp.

Escaping from North Korea by east coast (Sea of Japan):

Sea of Japan has more dangerous weather than Korean Bay and Yellow sea, with steep coastlines and rough seas, but if you drift far, you can end in Japan which does not deport North Koreans who enter into Japan, from there, you can safely go to South Korea.

One could avoid North Korean patrol by not using a boat, but swim through the sea. This is very hard because you can freeze to death.

South Korea welcomes all North Koreans with the status of refugees and treats them like their own citzens

No.3. Passing Through China.

Rivers of Yalu and Tumen, the border rivers between North Korea, Russia and China, are safer than DMZ, Tumen river is slower, narrower and shallower than Yalu river, however, North Korean guards still maintain a significant present in this area, they are allowed to shoot anybody at will, also be careful that some of them are stealthily hidden underground and ready to shoot anybody that they manage to catch crossing the border, this is why dead bodies are common sight there.

If you survive, welcome to China.

Be careful when travelling through China, as Chinese authorities can easily get you caught and deported back to North Korea, another risk is getting kidnapped for human trafficking, men are sold as slaves, woman are often forced into prostitution, and some lucky woman become housewives in countryside villages, they can be considered lucky because they get food and roof under their heads.

The best way to reach South Korea from this point is to first go into South Korean embassy in Beijing or the office of United Nations High Commisioner for Refugees (UNHCR), reaching the embassy is hard because Chinese police often stays near the embassy and the UNHCR office. But, if you are lucky to reach the embassy, you are safe from Chinese police because there is immunity within the embassy. The only obstacle left is to reach Beijing Capital International Airport which leads into Seoul. Once again, watch out for Chinese police.

No.4. Asia's Underground Railroad.

This dangerous network of routes that leads through China's underground is also one of the ways to reach South Korea, several Asian countries have different levels of commitment to North Korea.

Myanmar/Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia can be options for some despite the high chances of deportation. Thailand, appears the safest option because even though Thailand does not give the refugee status to North Koreans, any North Korean who is caught gets deported to 'Korea', not North Korea, but South Korea, so most North Koreans surrender themselves to Thai police as soon as they get into Thailand. Also, you can get easily caught by police who often stop trains and buses to check for passports and ID, if they question you, the lack of Chinese or North Korean accent could give you away.

If you go to far south, you will have to pass through Laos, and they are not friendly towards defectors, and therefor, you must pass through jungles and mountainous terrain. If you pass through Laos, the Mekong River is final obastacle, which can be dangerous because of crocodiles and tigers, but passing this river gets you to Thailand, the South Korean embassy should take care of rest.

No.5. Gobi Desert.

Gobi Desert if one of the most extreme places in the world, temperatures can get under -30 °C (-22 °F) at winter, and over 30 °C (86 °F). Another danger are animals like snow leopards, bear and wolves, you also must pass China to get to Mongolia for this route, but the great advantage is that sparsely populated area most likely has far less policemen, this is also shorter route than Asia's Underground Railroad.

Also, Mongolia shows sympathy toward North Korea Refugees, and sends them to South Korea with minimal bureaucratic resistance.

Unfortunately, in recent years border control has tightened, making the travel harder.

No.6. The West.

This is one of less common ways for escaping North Korea, but it can be done by seeking asylum from foreign embassies, UNHCR, non-govermental organization (NGO) or physically travelling to other countries.

When doing this an immigartion officer will ask a person who is he, sometimes an actual North Korean will be wrongfully accused and sent to the country that they think they came from. If that country ends up as China by accident, well, they are most likely ruined.

As of now, there are about 1,000 ot 2,000 North Korean refugees in Europe, most of them are in Britain (especially London). Other nations with reported North Korean refugees from Europe are Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and France.

Escaping to USA is interesting, because they are taught propaganda from young ages that USA is an evil and imperialistic nation.

One person who made it to Thailand found out that the Asylum application will take years, so he decided to travel by a boat to Argentina, then through South America to USA-Mexico border. After that he entered USA with some Mexicans that were crossing the border with him. And today he is the citizen of USA.

No.7. Labor Camps.

North Korean labor camps are known for their inhumane conditions, however, North Korea also exports it's labor force to countries such as Ethiopia, Poland and Russia. (Russia has most of these camp, usually logging camps in Siberia)

Those who work there have bad living quarters, inedible food, insane working hours and very low wages. Althrough these conditions seem like those who work like slaves, it seems preferable to misery back home.

One advantage is no heavily guarded borders and no land mines, making escaping far easier.

But !

In order to get into these camps, you must have good physical condition, have the history of toeing the party line and to be married with children. Now, why does one need to have wife and children?

Hostages. If you escape the labor camps, you family will very likely suffer the consequences. However, if you manage to trick the officals and smuggle the family out, you might have a chance. (not mandatory to smuggle your family unless you are probably a sociopath without empathy)

No.8. The Elite.

This one is far different from the rest.

North Korean elite, unlike the majority of citizens, has stability and economical security, making the defections rare. Most of reasons why the elite defect is the intellectual freedom or politcal belief, many of the privileged come from families coming from the North Korean families who work for goverment, they have more exposure to outside world than common people. (this exposure to outside world is very often illegal)

Another advantage is having lots of money, as you can pay escape brokers to smuggle you out with your family, if border security catches you, then you can bribe the way out, you can afford fake south Korean passports and IDs, giving you higher chance of passing without suspicion, you can pay for flights, or if you are a student with rare oppritunity to study overboards.

That seems to be all I know. 