On Tuesday 21 June, a north Korean refugee named Sung Ju Lee came to Sevenoaks to give a speech on his experiences in North Korea followed Q and A session to the Lower Sixth and Year 10. He provided fascinating insight into one of the most secretive regimes in the world, and was able to speak surprisingly humorously about his time as a street child in North Korea. It was really inspiring to hear about his struggles adjusting to the civil liberties he had in South Korea; a particularly poignant moment was when he spoke about how he realised his own freedom when he was able to walk into a stationery shop and choose his own pen. The students were able to reflect upon their own definitions of freedom. Lastly, given that he is now doing a Master’s degree in International Relations and Security at the University of Warwick, he was able to apply his political knowledge to answer questions about the future of the North Korean regime and the possible reunification of the Korean peninsula.
