North Korean Defector: Disabled “simply cannot survive in society” under Kim Regime

By Barrier Free Japan

July 19 2025

SOUTH KOREA – Hyoshim Maeng was born and raised in the city of Hyesan in North Korea. Today, she is a university student and human rights advocate in South Korea, using her voice to expose the hidden lives of people with disabilities under the Kim regime. Her activism is rooted in personal experience—most deeply through the life of her mother, who contracted polio as a child and lived her entire life in North Korea without the basic rights or recognition afforded to others. In 2018, after her mother was violently assaulted and denied justice by local authorities, Hyoshim and her family defected. It was a harrowing journey: her father carried her mother on his back through China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand until they finally reached safety in South Korea.

Hyoshim is committed to raising awareness about the human rights abuses in North Korea, especially those suffered by people with disabilities—many of whom, she says, “simply cannot survive in society.”

“In North Korea,” Hyoshim explains, “people with disabilities are categorized into three groups: those with congenital disabilities, those with acquired disabilities, and ‘honorary wounded soldiers.’ The last group refers to people who became disabled while serving in the military. Among these three groups, only the honorary wounded soldiers receive any support from the government—such as rice or housing allocations. People with congenital or acquired disabilities, like my mother, receive no assistance at all.”

Her mother’s life under this system was one of hardship and isolation. “My mother contracted polio as a child and was unable to walk. Attending school was extremely difficult for her, but my grandmother used to carry her on her back so she could receive an education. Most children with disabilities don’t even have that chance. If the parents are unable to care for a disabled child, that child simply cannot survive in society.”

The discrimination runs far deeper than government neglect. In everyday life, people with disabilities are often feared or shunned. “Some people with milder disabilities are able to work,” Hyoshim says, “but those with severe disabilities cannot even go outside. This is not just because of the lack of wheelchairs, but because people in North Korea tend to think seeing someone with a disability brings ‘bad luck’ for the whole day. The general perception of disability is extremely negative.”

She continues: “Although many believe that society should protect and care for its most vulnerable members, North Korea has yet to make that a reality. Disabled people are expected to survive entirely on their own. If someone is fortunate enough to have supportive parents, they may at least be able to eat and live, but in general, there is no social consideration for them.”

According to Hyoshim, the regime maintains the illusion of care with token institutions. “There are schools for disabled people in North Korea in name,” she says, “but in practice, it is very difficult to be accepted or attend. In short, living with a disability in North Korea is extremely difficult.”

Life in South Korea has brought transformation—and healing—for her family. “Today, my mother can go outside freely in her wheelchair. She is not discriminated against because of her disability and lives a dignified life. She can even do things she never dreamed of in North Korea—like drive a car, work, and go to university. Life in South Korea has been entirely positive and she is happy.”

Hyoshim concludes, “The only thing I miss about North Korea is our relatives and family who are still there.”