The Hard Road Out

Jihyun Park was born in Chongjin, North Korea, in 1968. She experienced acute poverty, famine, illness, and intimidation. She first escaped at the age of 29. After her second escape from North Korea, with the help of the UN, she was granted asylum seeker status in 2008 and moved to Bury, Greater Manchester, where she lives with her husband Kwang and three children. She has been outreach and project officer at the European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea and is a human rights activist.

A Washington Post noteworthy book

'I am still reeling. ... How does one person carry so much - the pain of a family lost and life destroyed, and the joy and challenge of a new family and a new life in such an unfamiliar place?' Financial Times

'A gripping, suspenseful and cathartic memoir that tells a story of pain and perseverance and makes the moral case for asylum.' David Lammy MP

'A moving and insightful account of how tyrannical governance can squeeze all the joy and almost all the humanity out of its subjects and drain them of any power to revolt.' Geoffrey Robertson KC

'Extraordinary. ... Elegantly written, reflective, wise, sad and at times almost unbearably painful.' Marcel Theroux

'Park's story is shocking and a testament to her resilience.' The Telegraph

'Detailed and damning.' TLS

'Brave, tender, and intimate ... A frank and balanced view of the reality of life under a dictatorship.' Kirkus

'A compelling and well-written account of life inside (and outside of) North Korea. Moving without being sentimental, comprehensive but never dry.' Daniel Tudor, author of North Korea Confidential

'An incredible story of survival and escape that provides tremendous insight ... Anyone who wants to understand North Korea and be inspired by the strength of a true survivor must read this book.' War on the Rocks

'Courage and sacrifice befall few. Jihyun is one of those few. This fascinating and shocking book allows us to stand with Jihyun and others like her.' Lord David Alton, Chairman of the British-DPRK All-Party Parliamentary Group

'A riveting story of pain, suffering, starvation, betrayal, abandonment, and ultimately redemption. This deeply personal tale offers profound insights on human nature and the inhumanity of the North Korean state. Jihyun Park's courage is a true inspiration.' Professor Sung-Yoon Lee, author of The Sister