Charles Ryu

Charles Ryu (born Cheol W. Ryu;[1] October 1, 1994) is a North Korean defector to the United States, human rights activist, and social media personality.

Life in North Korea

Ryu was born on October 1, 1994, in North Korea.[2] He described North Koreans as "so isolated that they believe even absurd propaganda" and that "Kim Jong Il was taught about as some sort of God". His father was a Chinese man who returned to China when he was five. He said that at age 11, his mother starved to death and he became a homeless orphan.[3] In 2008, he fled to China and lived there for some time, but was later sent back to North Korea by the Chinese government.[4] After returning to North Korea, he was put in a prison camp, and according to him, was "beaten, fed only 150 kernels of corn per day, and worked eighteen-hour shifts"[5] in a coal mine.[6] He also said he once ate grains of rice from dried vomit. He was released from the prison after serving a nine-month sentence. He again fled to China, via the Yalu River. He then fled to Thailand, where the United Nations gave asylum status before transporting him to the United States.[7]

Life as a defector

In the United States, Ryu created the YouTube channel Charles North Korea, where he primarily speaks of his experience in North Korea. His videos include man on the street interviews, in which he wears a sign that reads "ask a North Korean".[7] He is a software engineer[8] and lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, California as of 2017.[6] He also converted to Christianity.[9]

Ryu is anti-communist.[7] He criticized the 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit, saying he felt unsafe in the United States as a result of it.[5] He also criticized Executive Order 13769, believing that refugees should be allowed entry into the United States, as he himself was.[6] He interned for Liberty in North Korea in 2017 and later involved himself in Free Joseon.[8] In June 2019, investigations showed he was connected to the North Korean Embassy in Madrid incident, where him and co-conspirators attacked the embassy and stole sensitive documents, later handing them out to the FBI. Judge José de la Mata issued an international warrant for his arrest.[10]

References

  1. ^ Gottlieb, Benjamin (2017-11-11). "North Korean Refugee Recalls Harrowing Journey to New Life in California | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  2. ^ "These are the stories the North Korean regime doesn't want the world to hear. Learn more about what life is like inside North Korea and what you can do to help North Korean refugees". libertyinnorthkorea.org. Retrieved 2025-12-25.
  3. ^ "How James Bond, Tom Cruise and Will Smith helped street child escape North Korea via China". South China Morning Post. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  4. ^ "How Hollywood stars helped street child escape North Korea". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  5. ^ a b "'I feel less safe, living here.' North Korean defectors react to the Trump-Kim summit". PBS News. 2018-06-16. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  6. ^ a b c Engardio, Joel P. (2017-03-05). "Finding God, country and the Goo Goo Dolls". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  7. ^ a b c Stossel, John (2025-05-28). "He escaped North Korea—twice. Now he warns people about socialism". Reason. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
  8. ^ a b Kim, Suki (2020-11-16). "The Underground Movement Trying to Topple the North Korean Regime". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  9. ^ Kirby, Jen (2017-10-09). "What It's Like to Escape From North Korea". Intelligencer. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  10. ^ Hotham, Oliver (2019-07-11). "High-profile defector linked to February raid on North Korean embassy in Madrid | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
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