by Yeonmi Park
Woo Yang Mang, my mother’s partner, and Lee Hong-ki, my sister’s wonderful boyfriend: Thank you, both, for bringing such blessings to our family.
For all my relatives who are still in North Korea and suffering from oppression: I feel extremely guilty to put you all in danger, but I hope that someday you will all understand why I had to speak up. I promise that I will work tirelessly to end the injustice you experience every day. I hope the day comes when I can freely visit my homeland and see you all again.
For all the supporters around the world who send me encouraging and touching messages through social media: I could never acknowledge you all in this small space, but you know who you are. Every smile, every small gesture, every tear you shed with me gave me the courage to share a story that I never thought I would share with anyone. Thank you for believing in me. There were times when I had lost my faith in humanity, but you have heard me. You have cared. And this is how, together, we begin to change the world.
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