← The Miracle Files - True Miracle Stories
The Miracle Files - True Miracle Stories
Escaping North Korea: The Worst Lie I Ever Told (Part One) | Ep. 61
00:32:11
This powerful testimony reveals the hidden reality of life inside North Korea — a world shaped by hunger, fear, and absolute control under leaders like Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. From witnessing public executions as a child to losing his father to...
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- [00:03]
Emily Jones
Doohyon crept quietly through the cornfield at night. Suddenly, he heard something. Cornstalks rustled against someone's moving legs.
- [00:13]
Do Hyun
I heard footsteps walk straight toward me.
- [00:18]
Emily Jones
And then Do Hyun saw him. It was a North Korean border guard. Doo Hyun froze, pressing his body flat against the cold ground, barely daring to breathe. His hand tightened around the small VI poison hidden in his palm.
- [00:34]
Do Hyun
If captured, I was ready to end my own life.
- [00:44]
Emily Jones
This is the Miracle Files. I'm Emily Jones.
- [00:47]
Holly Worthington
And I'm Holly Worthington. We're two sisters who love a captivating true story. But we're also seeking more light in our lives.
- [00:55]
Emily Jones
So we're on a mission to find and share unforgettable, uplifting stories of God's miracles. We hope you'll join us on this journey.
- [01:07]
Holly Worthington
Welcome back to the Miracle Files. I am not exaggerating when I say we have a really special story for you today.
- [01:14]
Emily Jones
Yeah, we really do. We share a lot of stories on our podcast and I am inspired by all of them.
- [01:21]
Holly Worthington
Yeah.
- [01:21]
Emily Jones
But I just have to say this one, it has completely changed my outlook on life.
- [01:26]
Holly Worthington
Yeah, mine too.
- [01:28]
Emily Jones
And when my brother in law, Darren, he actually heard Tuhyun speak and then he shared the story with me, I was completely blown away. I knew we had to share it. So I am really grateful that we were able to meet with Doo Hyun and share his story.
- [01:41]
Do Hyun
Yeah.
- [01:41]
Holly Worthington
And we want to give you a heads up. This is a two part episode, but truly, this is a story that deserved two full episodes in order to do it justice. So we promise it will be worth it.
- [01:53]
Emily Jones
Yeah, absolutely. All right, let's dive in.
- [01:56]
Holly Worthington
Let's do it.
- [02:01]
Do Hyun
I stand before you as a survivor and a witness, one voice for the millions who cannot speak. My story is just one thread in the vast pattern of suffering created by the North Korean regiment today. I want to share that story. It's about a childhood shaped by hunger and fear. A family torn apart by oppression and an escape driven by love and the hope for freedom. I offer these memories in the hope they shine a light on one of the darkest parts places on earth and inspire us all to act.
- [02:55]
Emily Jones
These are the words Tu Hyung spoke when he addressed the International Congress of Victims of Communism in Madrid in May of 2024. His words rang out from the podium. He desperately hoped they wouldn't fall on deaf ears. But our story starts so much earlier with the young Doo Hyun growing up in North Korea, a land so veiled in secrecy that most of us can only imagine its cruelty through headlines. For generations, North Korea has been ruled by the Kim family, a single bloodline that holds absolute power over the country. The Kim regime shapes every aspect of life, demanding loyalty while obliterating anyone who dares to dissent. For Doo Hyun, North Korea was home. It was his life. Doo Hyun grew up in a city next to a riverbank. On the other side of the wide river. China beckoned like a siren song. As a young boy, Tu Hyung would sit and gaze across the water into China, watching cars drive by, seeing lights flicker in the windows of tall buildings. Witnessing another world, one that felt impossibly close and yet forever out of reach. Jihyung didn't understand why his life felt so oppressive. He didn't even have words to describe the way his life felt. But deep inside, he knew something wasn't right.
- [04:24]
Do Hyun
We lived under constant fear. The government demanded total loyalty. Even a small complaint could lead to punishment, prison, or execution. We were never taught how to think, only what to think. From the moment we could speak, we learned to praise the Kim family and stay silent about our own pain. One of my first memories of that pain. Pain. Was hunger.
- [05:01]
Emily Jones
In the mid-1990s, a devastating famine known as the Arduous March tore through North Korea. The public food system collapsed, and hunger became a constant companion. Each night, Doohyon went to sleep empty and weak, only to wake up even weaker the next day. Bodies lay in the streets and at train stations, no longer shocking. Just part of life. The country's leaders told the citizens to stay strong, blaming their suffering on American sanctions. But the truth was far more painful. The United States had sent over a billion dollars in food aid. Aid that never reached Do Hyun or the people who needed it most.
- [05:44]
Do Hyun
The regime turned away international help and Feder's lies instead, because of a lifetime of propaganda and brainwashing. Even while starving, many people still believed the lies. Hunger wasn't just a tragedy. It was a tool. Soldiers would shoot people caught searching for food. I grew up knowing that even trying to survive could cost your life.
- [06:20]
Emily Jones
Hunger and fear defined Do Hyun's childhood. But certain moments, carved scars he would carry for the rest of his life. At 13, he witnessed his first public execution in North Korea. Such events were deliberately staged to instill obedience through fear. One day, the entire town, children and the elderly alike, were ordered to gather along the riverbank. Schools, markets, and factories were shut down. A makeshift courtroom was arranged, with officials seated behind a long table. Two policemen dragged forward a thin, trembling man and bound him to a wooden post. His crime was cutting the leg of a cow to feed his family.
- [07:07]
Do Hyun
His wife and children were pretty placed in the front row, forced to watch. I will never forget her face. She clutched her baby, sobbing as her toddler cried beside her. Then the command came ready. A. Three soldiers fired at once. The man's body collapsed.
- [07:43]
Emily Jones
Do Hyun stood frozen, overcome by shock and horror. Men with sacks collected the remains and threw them into a truck. Then it was over. The crowd was ordered to return home as if they had just attended a routine school event.
- [08:00]
Do Hyun
I barely ate or spoke for weeks. Nightmares haunted my sleep. But in North Korea, we were expected to pretend everything was fine. At 13, I had learned the regime's lesson. Fear keeps you obedient, and silence keeps you safe.
- [08:27]
Emily Jones
While fear ruled most people's lives and kept them silent, Do Hyun's father was different. His determination and courage stood out. Unfortunately, in North Korea, determination and courage can be dangerous.
- [08:43]
Do Hyun
He was a proud former soldier and a devoted father. But in North Korea, even good people can be punished for no reason. In the 1970s, a high ranking officer was executed by Kim Il Sung, and my father, who had served under him, was discharged and labeled a traitor.
- [09:11]
Emily Jones
The North Korean regime deemed Joo Hyun's father guilty by association. Though he had done nothing wrong, he was condemned as disloyal for the actions of his commander. After that, Doo Hyun's father struggled to find work. Yet he never gave up. During the famine, he started a small market business to feed his family. His resilience left a lasting impression on Dohyon. But the regime did not tolerate even modest success, especially from someone it had labeled as part of the hostile class.
- [09:46]
Do Hyun
One day, the police came and arrested him for illegal business. Though he had broken no laws, they simply needed an excuse to punish men they already distrusted.
- [10:02]
Emily Jones
Do Hyun's father was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment, but was returned home after only a year. Doo Hyun couldn't believe he would be seeing his father again. And even more shocking, his sentence had been shortened. Sadly, however, this would not be the joyous reunion Tu Hyung had hoped for. In fact, Doo Hyun could barely recognize his father upon returning home. His father, frail and weak, looked like a skeleton, barely alive and weighing just 66 pounds.
- [10:38]
Do Hyun
They sent him home to die under our care so they wouldn't have to explain a death in custody.
- [10:48]
Emily Jones
The regime had broken Doo Hyun's father physically. But despite his emaciated exterior, Ju Hyung's father remained a lion on the inside. The regime would not, could not break his spirit. Knowing that he would risk further punishment, Joo Hyun's father did something extraordinarily courageous. In a quiet act of defiance, Do Hyun's father wrote a letter to the Central Party of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. It was an unthinkable risk. Any complaint about human rights abuses could cost him his life. Yet he spent days carefully crafting the letter by hand, describing the torture, corruption, and injustices his family endured every day. Weeks later, a black Mercedes Benz with the License plate number 216, a number reserved for Kim Jong Il's closest aides, pulled up in front of their home.
- [11:46]
Do Hyun
A high ranking officer had come to hear my father's story. He apologized and promised justice. For the first time, we found felt hope.
- [12:01]
Emily Jones
Could it be possible that someone within the regime might actually care enough to listen to Hyang and his father, let themselves believe it was? Maybe there were good men in the government who wished as they did, to see a change. But just days later, their dream, their small glimmer of hope, was cruelly crushed when local police returned and arrested Joo Hyung's father once again. It was the last time Joo Hyang would ever see his father alive.
- [12:34]
Do Hyun
For two years, we lived in silence and pain, not knowing whether he was alive or dead. Then a police officer finally told us the truth, that my father had died in prison. He died alone. Simply for telling the truth, we were not allowed to bury him. When we requested his body, the regime refused. They claimed that since he had been sentenced to eight years and died after two, he still had six years left to serve. So even in death, he remained a prisoner. Imagine being told, your father must serve six more years as a corpse.
- [13:32]
Emily Jones
During those years, fear became woven into the fabric of Do Hyeon's life. He was afraid to ask questions or even whisper his thoughts. Neighbors spied on one another, and everyone knew A single careless word or joke could condemn an entire family to a prison camp. When Doo Hyun was in his 20s, he did in fact witness his neighbors being arrested one night. They had done the unthinkable in North Korea. They had been meeting together to worship as Christians, and someone had reported them.
- [14:06]
Do Hyun
One night, I saw soldiers drag away two families, parents and children, because someone reported them of practicing a forbidden faith. Being Christians. As they were loaded into trunks, they sang a defiant song about God and eternal life. It was the first time I heard the word God.
- [14:38]
Emily Jones
God. Joo Hyang wondered what that word meant. He could tell the families were impassioned about what they sang about, but he didn't understand any of it. In North Korea, he knew most religion was banned. The only devotion allowed was to the Kim family. But it piqued Joo Hyun's curiosity. There was something different about these families.
- [15:01]
Do Hyun
They looked not afraid anything. They looked so dignified and so proud of themselves. And then they were shouting. We are not going to die. We are going to live forever. So to me, what they are talking about. And then who is God? Because we have never learned about God before.
- [15:24]
Emily Jones
Do Hyeon listened to the commotion outside. His heart hurt for the families. But there was nothing he could do.
- [15:32]
Do Hyun
Their voices were silenced by rifle bots and barking dogs. In North Korea, even hope and faith are crimes. Fear was the air we breathed. We never spoke freely, not even at home. My father once warned me. The world have years. I was just a child, but I understood. One careless world could destroy us all.
- [16:11]
Emily Jones
Despite all the chaos and oppression surrounding him, there was one bright spot in Do Hyun's life. Jihyun. She was a local girl who he soon fell in love with. Do Hyun and Jihyeon got married. They were happy together. But Do Hyun was keeping a secret from his young wife. Between the horrible things he had witnessed and having his own father killed by the regime, a restlessness was growing inside of Do Hyun. He wished more than ever to escape to another world.
- [16:45]
Do Hyun
I realized then how broken our country was. Do normal government punish the dead? Do they starve, torture and kill their own people? No. This was not normal. My father's courage and sacrifice steeled my resolve. In 2009, I decided to escape.
- [17:21]
Emily Jones
Do Hyun had been secretly talking to a friend whose mother knew of what was referred to as a broker. Someone who could help them escape across the border. His friend invited Doo Hyun to leave with him. This was the moment Doo Hyun had longed for. Yet the choice felt unbearable. He knew how perilous escaping could be, and he was prepared to risk his own life. But how could he ask his wife to follow him into a journey of unknown life threatening dangers? A path he himself had never walked? He couldn't. If he escaped now, then maybe one day he could find a way to rescue her too.
- [18:08]
Do Hyun
Escaping meant leaving behind everything and everyone I loved. At that time, I had been married for two years to my wife Jian, my best friend and confidence. But I couldn't tell her my true plan. In North Korea, if someone knows about a defection and doesn't report it, they are punished too. The only way to protect her was to lie. It broke my heart. My family had lived for years without knowing what happened to my father. Now I was about to do the same thing to my wife. But I had no choice. The Worst lie I ever told was the person I loved most. I told her I would be gone for just two weeks on a business trip. In truth, I didn't know if I would ever return.
- [19:24]
Emily Jones
Do Hyun prepared to leave, but North Korea's borders were sealed and relentlessly guarded, designed to keep people in, not let them out. Do Hyun's group's ultimate destination was South Korea, the only neighboring nation that might offer freedom and protection to North Korean refugees. Yet the border dividing North Korea from South Korea was the most heavily militarized in the world, making any attempt to escape across it impossible. Instead, Do Hyun would need to journey across North Korea, cross the less guarded but still treacherous Yalu river under cover of night, and then try to slip into China unseen. And that would only be the beginning. From there, they would have to travel thousands of miles in secrecy across China, then push through the dense jungles of Laos, cross the wide Mekong river, and if they survived all of that, past the border into Thailand. The final step would be to cross the ocean from Thailand into South Korea. Each step forward carried the risk of being caught. If they were discovered at any point, they would be arrested and sent back to North Korea. And North Korea did not tolerate defectors. It was a daunting thought, this long journey in front of him. But for now, Doo Hyun knew the first step would be to board a train. It sounded simple enough, but at the train station, looking into the loving eyes of his wife, Doo Hyun's heart nearly ripped in two.
- [21:06]
Do Hyun
She held my hands, crying softly. Thinking it would only be two weeks, I swallowed my tears. If I showed any emotions, she might sense the truth. I hugged her one last time and stepped onto the tray. As it pulled away, I saw her wiping her eyes. My heart broke into half guilt, half determination. I made myself a promise. This lie would not be the end. It would be the bridge to our new beginning.
- [21:51]
Emily Jones
As Doo Hyun travelled, he stayed somewhat close to his friend and their small group of defectors. But they had to be secretive and hidden. Escaping North Korea is a path few dare to attempt, and even fewer survive. From the moment Do Hyun stepped off the train near the Chinese border, he became a fugitive in his own country. Death felt close, lurking around every corner. He watched constantly over his shoulder, fully aware of what capture would mean. A prison camp? Or worse, a public execution. Either way, he knew he would never see his wife or family again.
- [22:33]
Do Hyun
I carried poison with me. If captured, I was ready to end my own life. As the son of a traitor, I knew exactly what they would do to me.
- [22:48]
Emily Jones
One Night Crawling through a cornfield near the Yalu River, Doo Hyun heard footsteps crunch through the dirt. Cornstalks rustled against someone's moving legs. And then Doo Hyun saw him. It was a border guard, coming straight toward him. Doo Hyun froze, pressing his body flat against the cold ground, barely daring to breathe. His hand tightened around the small vial of poison hidden in his palm. The soldier marched closer. Each step shattered the silence. Doo Hyun held his breath, his heart pounding so hard he feared it would give him away. Then the guard came to a stop, close enough for Doo Hyun to hear him shift his weight. The guard stared out into the darkness, never once looking down.
- [23:40]
Do Hyun
He stopped just inches away and began to urinate.
- [23:49]
Emily Jones
Doo Hyun breathed again. He could hardly believe the guard had merely stopped to relieve himself. Doo Hyun slowly released his vice grip on the poison.
- [24:00]
Do Hyun
He never saw me when he walked off. I stayed more motionless. Then crawled, followed, shaking. But I was still alive.
- [24:14]
Emily Jones
Doo Hyun looked out toward the river. The close call with the guards had shaken him, but he didn't have time to sit in fear. It was now time to cross the Yalu River, a river more like the ocean in width and current, its banks lined with sniper towers and watchful guards. Do Hyun had come this far. He summoned his courage and crawled toward his future. There was no going back now. And this is where our story ends today. But come back next week to hear the rest of this incredibly harrowing story of danger, courage, faith, and love.
- [24:56]
Holly Worthington
Oh, my gosh, it is hard to even find the right words, right? And listen, we know you're all probably dying to know what happens. And maybe even yelling at your device that you listen to it on, like, wait, you really just left your. Your wife?
- [25:13]
Emily Jones
I mean, this is such a complicated situation because. Oh yeah, you think about it. If you knew that your decision could put your spouse in a situation where they had a significant chance of dying. Yeah, like, would you be willing to take that risk? And I don't know if any of us can say exactly for sure what we would do in that situation, but I will say this. The next episode is amazing. It's incredible. And the miracles are absolutely undeniable.
- [25:42]
Holly Worthington
They really are. And honestly, we feel like this is such an honor and a privilege for us to even share.
- [25:50]
Emily Jones
Yeah, for sure.
- [25:51]
Holly Worthington
And Emily, when you and I interviewed Too Young, it was. I mean, we were crying afterwards. We just had tears pouring down our faces.
- [26:01]
Emily Jones
Yeah, it just made me want to hug my kids. I just, like, got down on my knees and wanted to thank God for a full refrigerator or Clean water or just, you know, all the freedoms, all the things that we take for granted every day.
- [26:16]
Holly Worthington
And this episode is a little different because there's maybe not like a super clear miracle yet, but trust me, it's coming.
- [26:23]
Emily Jones
It is coming. But even still, like there are miracles in this story, you think about the fact that Doo Hyun even found somebody to help him escape. And the way that happened is fascinating. So in North Korea, you're not allowed to travel. Like, you have to have permission from the government to travel. And they usually only give permits to like Olympic athletes or government officials or things like that. But Tuhyun's friend's mom actually had some relatives in China. She really wanted to visit them. And so she bribed someone in the government to give her just a temporary permit to travel out of the country. And when she went to China, she was stunned. So here's a quick sound bite of Tuhyun explaining what that experience was like.
- [27:09]
Do Hyun
For her, it was just eye opening. Because North Korea people are starving to death on those trees. But China, so much food and electricity, 24. 7 hot and cold water. So she thought this is heaven. But we were taught North Korea is the best country in the world. Nothing to envy in the world. This is what we were taught and brainwashed.
- [27:39]
Emily Jones
Okay. So after seeing all of that, she didn't want to go back to North Korea. She wanted to stay in China. But if she didn't go back, her family would be punished for her not returning. And so instead she had to find a way to get her family out of North Korea.
- [27:56]
Holly Worthington
And just to be clear, the reason to Hyung's wife wasn't punished was because to Hyung just technically went missing. Like they didn't even know if he was alive or dead.
- [28:05]
Emily Jones
They didn't know. Yeah, they thought he might be dead.
- [28:07]
Holly Worthington
Yeah. So this lady who had been to China, as we said, was the mother of two Hyun's best friend. And to Hyun and this guy had grown up together. They shared secrets that they would never dare speak to anyone else over the years. So Tu Hyun's friend came to him and said, I want you to go with me. I'm going to go to China. I'm going to leave, I'm going to escape. And the cool thing is that his mother, this friend's mother, agreed to be the guarantor for a loan that he had to take out in order to pay the broker to go if he
- [28:39]
Emily Jones
ever got to safety or yeah, if
- [28:41]
Holly Worthington
he ever got to safety, he had to repay back that amount. So she Guaranteed that amount for him. And it was pretty extraordinary that he found someone who would do that.
- [28:49]
Emily Jones
Amazing. Because that's pretty rare to have that kind of a connection in North Korea. I also think another miracle that happened in this story is when that border guard was just within inches of him.
- [29:02]
Holly Worthington
Oh my gosh. Yeah.
- [29:03]
Do Hyun
And.
- [29:04]
Emily Jones
And he didn't find too Hyun. Like I just think that God was blessing him.
- [29:08]
Do Hyun
Yeah.
- [29:08]
Holly Worthington
That was definitely a miracle for sure. And North Korea is such a fascinating place because it's so closed off from the world.
- [29:15]
Emily Jones
I know.
- [29:16]
Holly Worthington
All things are so controlled there. Like Internet access is basically non existent. And it's totally controlled by the government. Yeah. TV and radios, they are fixed to government channels.
- [29:26]
Emily Jones
Yeah.
- [29:27]
Holly Worthington
And they even need approval. People there need approval just to get certain haircuts. Like you have to ask what kind of haircuts you can get.
- [29:34]
Emily Jones
It's heartbreaking to think that there are millions of people that are still living under this like, strict control. I read that back in the 90s, the arduous March that Tu Hyun had mentioned. During this famine, there were hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people who died of starvation. Like the only way families survived is if they ate plants or grasshoppers or bugs. Like, it's just heartbreaking. I can't imagine.
- [29:59]
Holly Worthington
And the fact that entire families can be sent to prison camps if just one person steps out of line. It really just puts our own freedom and prosperity into perspective.
- [30:11]
Emily Jones
Right.
- [30:11]
Holly Worthington
And you can see why Too Young was willing to risk everything to maybe get a chance at a different future. Especially when he saw what happened to his father.
- [30:21]
Emily Jones
Yeah. And his father. We need to talk about his father too. Because his father was so brave.
- [30:29]
Holly Worthington
So brave, so courageous.
- [30:31]
Emily Jones
Inspiring.
- [30:32]
Holly Worthington
Yeah. And that's one of the reasons why we really want to share this story is so that his father did not die in vain. Yeah. Yeah.
- [30:39]
Emily Jones
No one feels that stronger than Tuhyun. He wants to honor his father's memory.
- [30:44]
Holly Worthington
Yes. So true. And we want to thank too. Hyun, we are beyond grateful for your courage in sharing this story. And we can't wait to share the rest of it in our next episode.
- [30:55]
Do Hyun
And.
- [30:55]
Holly Worthington
And it's just one week away.
- [30:57]
Emily Jones
Yes. So please come back. You know, Do Hyun really wanted to get this message out. Because he still loves and cares about the millions of people in North Korea who are still suffering. And so if you feel like his message has inspired you, please share this with a friend. Hopefully sharing this message can make a difference.
- [31:18]
Holly Worthington
Here's a sneak peek of next week's episode.
- [31:23]
Emily Jones
Do Hyun felt his heart race. In an instant, uniformed officers appeared. He and his group were herded, searched, and locked behind heavy doors. Time stretched.
- [31:37]
Do Hyun
I was thinking, I'm waiting to die.
- [31:43]
Holly Worthington
Thank you for joining us. If you have a miracle to share, contact us@the Miracle Files.com or find us on social media. We release new episodes each Monday.
- [31:53]
Emily Jones
Yes, so don't forget Miracle Mondays. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube for amazing video content as well.
- [32:01]
Holly Worthington
Join us next time as we discover more of God's miracles. And don't forget to look for his light in your own lives.