Undercover In North Korea

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Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Suki Kim moved to America with her parents at the age of 13. She later began a career as a journalist, and then went undercover as an English teacher in North Korea. Without You, There Is No Us is her memoir about the time she spent among the sons of the DPRK's wealthiest families, from the constant surveillance and presence of Kim Jong-il to the real, gutting moments of connection between her and her students.

Her story begins in Spring 2011 when her application to teach at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) is approved. It ends on December 19, 2011, the day Kim Jong-il dies, and the day before she leaves North Korea to go back to America. The personal narrative of her time there is interspersed with accounts of the disparity between reality and propaganda, the history of the Korean divide, and its long-reaching roots that have separated countless families, including her own.

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Kim addresses several important factors that contribute to the DPRK and relations with the rest of the world. On both sides, there is fear of the other. On both sides, there are secrets and ulterior motives. Kim is frequently upset by the faith her students have in their country and their ignorance of the outside world. But she's also terrified that they learn the "truth," for as soon as they begin to ask questions about the outside world, they question the regime and throw their lives into danger.

Despite the restriction of personal freedom, the constant toll of measuring her words before speaking, the bleak and chilling depictions of life both inside her school and in the greater Pyongyang area, Kim is not altogether unhappy. She describes terribly touching moments between her and her students, showing us that, though their ideas and politics may be different, they are young men like young men all over the globe, and that heartfelt connection can take place even beyond "enemy" lines.

The other teachers at PUST are devout Christian missionaries, who hope to show kindness to the students so that, when North Korea opens, their students might remember them and convert to Christianity. Kim has to pretend that she is also a missionary among her fellow teachers.

But her difference in religious belief (or lack thereof) causes some strife, as she likens their faith to the North Koreans' fundamental belief in the Great Leader. Some Christians may find Kim's depictions of her fellow teachers uncharitable, but I thought her voice simply honest, and I'm glad she didn't feel the need to cater her story and perceptions to a specific audience in this way.

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Though non-fiction (memoir), Kim crafts an easy, informative read that gives an exclusive look into a country separated from the rest of the world. Risking her safety to write this story, she says, "[I] tell the stark truth about the DPRK, in hopes that the lives of average North Koreans, including my beloved students, will one day improve."

Besides this desire for truth, one of Kim's main messages is communication, both with the outside world and between ourselves, human-to-human, emphasizing that even people made to be enemies can recognize the capacity for pain and love that we all hold inside.

7/10 📕