Lex Fridman Podcast

#196 – Yeonmi Park: North Korea

Jul 1, 2021

Yeonmi Park, a North Korean defector and passionate human rights activist, shares her harrowing journey from oppression to freedom. She candidly discusses the brutal realities of famine and suffering in North Korea, emphasizing the need for global awareness and activism. Park reflects on the psychological control enforced by the regime, revealing the profound significance of love and identity in such an environment. She also critiques the indifference of the global community and highlights the importance of understanding the absurdities of the North Korean leadership.

02:06:18

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Episode guests

Yeonmi Park

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Reflections on Suffering and Resilience Amidst Evil

2min

Dietary Choices, Sustainable Farming, and Innovations in Gaming

2min

The Therapeutic Power of Exercise and Sleep

2min

Journey from a Socialist Paradise: Reflections on North Korean Life

2min

Reflections on Childhood in North Korea

15min

Love and Survival in North Korea

14min

Confronting North Korean Suffering

21min

Famine, Freedom, and the Kim Regime

18min

10.

Navigating Meritocracy and Censorship

21min

11.

Understanding North Korea's Absurdity

3min

12.

The Impact of Systems on Prosperity: A Comparative Analysis of Korea

2min

13.

Gratitude Amidst Struggles

16min

14.

Embracing Existence and Seeking Purpose

5min

Yeonmi Park is a North Korean defector, human rights activist, and author of the book In Order to Live. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
– Belcampo: https://belcampo.com/lex and use code LEX to get 20% off first order
– Gala Games: https://gala.games/lex
– BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/lex to get 10% off
– Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex and use code LEX to get special savings

EPISODE LINKS:
Yeonmi’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/YeonmiParkNK
Yeonmi’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialyeonmipark
Yeonmi’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/YeonmiParkOfficial
In Order to Live (book): https://amzn.to/3wdtKfL

PODCAST INFO:
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SUPPORT & CONNECT:
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– Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman

OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(09:20) – Growing up in North Korea
(14:45) – Animal Farm
(21:00) – Search for meaning
(25:48) – Love
(28:05) – Language
(32:28) – Yeonmi’s dad
(34:30) – Escaping North Korea
(39:47) – The world is ignoring the genocide in North Korea
(51:49) – Evil
(54:40) – Nuclear war
(55:30) – Marxist origins of North Korea
(1:00:43) – Famine
(1:05:30) – Kim Jong-un is pure evil
(1:12:06) – Freedom
(1:15:18) – Michael Malice
(1:18:57) – Diversity
(1:26:18) – Political correctness
(1:35:50) – Jordan Peterson
(1:40:01) – Michael Malice book on North Korea
(1:45:31) – Advice for young people
(1:48:33) – Facing assassination
(1:58:47) – Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
(2:01:20) – Meaning of life

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