North Korean Defector: Disabled “simply cannot survive in society” under Kim Regime [Podcast Episode]

By Barrier Free Japan

July 21 2025

SOUTH KOREA – Hyoshim Maeng, a North Korean defector now living in South Korea, is drawing attention to the treatment of people with disabilities under the Kim regime. Her mother, who contracted polio as a child, lived without state support in North Korea. The family fled the country in 2018. Hyoshim Maeng now advocates for disability rights, describing widespread stigma, minimal access to education, and limited mobility. Her account highlights the gap between official narratives and lived realities for disabled people in North Korea.

Episode Notes:

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

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