Book SummaryIn Order to Live, by Yeonmi Park and Maryanne Vollers

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of In Order to Live

Life within the borders of North Korea.

She initially resided within the borders of North Korea.

Poverty, lack of resources, and food insecurity

Yeonmi Park's narrative begins by vividly portraying life inside North Korea's national boundaries. Her family's humble and roomy home in Hyesan became known for the frequent rustling of mice overhead, serving as a constant auditory companion, while the shared fireplace offered little in the way of warmth against the cold. With electricity a rare commodity and candles expensive, darkness was a frequent setting. Despite the congenial environment of a tight community where everyone kept a watchful eye on the welfare of their neighbors, the depicted lifestyle required withstanding severe conditions.

The stark contrast in North Korea, particularly evident when comparing the capital, Pyongyang, to the city of Hyesan, is quite striking. Yeonmi notes that beneath Pyongyang's modern appearance and maintained streets, the authoritarian character of the government is revealed by the police's diligent pursuit of street children.

Food insecurity, as mentioned by Yeonmi, was a palpable struggle, with the majority within North Korea existing in conditions of severe poverty and numerous individuals confronting persistent malnutrition. During times of high prices for essential foods such as rice, kimchi, legumes, and seaweed broth, meals frequently consisted of plain patties crafted from crushed potatoes that had been preserved by freezing or a simple porridge. Yeonmi harbored a deep longing for the brighter and more hopeful life she observed in the Chinese town of Changbai, a vision that stood in sharp relief against the constraints and gloom of her native land.

North Korea is experiencing a period of severe deprivation, characterized by the frequent discovery of bodies in bodies of water or discarded among heaps of refuse. The nation's battle to maintain its population is vividly demonstrated by the insufficient distribution of nutritional provisions, the redirection of assistance meant for hunger alleviation towards military purposes, and the rise of essential secret trading systems for food.

Amidst chronic hunger, Yeonmi recounts gathering water at the communal pump, depending on the kindness of neighbors, and braving severe winters, providing insight into a difficult childhood where the aspiration was for plentiful food rather than toys.

Indoctrination and the veneration of regime leaders

Yeonmi also recounts the deep-seated indoctrination of the populace, who are educated to regard the leaders of the regime with utmost reverence within the borders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The profound respect and veneration for Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are such that their deaths incite widespread mourning and a perception that a deity-like figure has departed, demonstrating the deep psychological influence that the leadership holds over its citizens.

The government's pervasive brainwashing of its...

In Order to Live Summary Discover the vast landscapes within China.

As she escaped from North Korea, Yeonmi Park encountered the perils linked to the illicit trade of humans within China.

Entering China

The reliance on individuals implicated in the illicit trade of human beings.

Yeonmi Park and her mother, with the assistance of a young North Korean, managed to traverse the icy Yalu River into China under the cover of darkness on March 31, 2007, having secured the guards' cooperation through bribery for a secure crossing. Individuals engaged in trafficking are instrumental in swiftly assisting the expectant mother with her river crossing and also facilitate her journey over mountainous regions using infrequently traveled paths. Yeonmi and her mother, after crossing the border, were escorted by a North Korean guide to a broker's home in Chaingbai, highlighting the crucial role that traffickers play in their journey.

The sexual assault incident that her mother experienced caused significant trauma.

The trek is fraught with peril, including wild animals and hallucinations due to exhaustion. It culminates when, at a broker's shack in China, Yeonmi's mother offers...

In Order to Live Summary Adapting to the South Korean way of life.

Upon reaching South Korea, Yeonmi Park and her mother were faced with a multitude of adjustments.

Adjustment challenges in a new society

Cultural and linguistic obstacles

At the age of fifteen, Yeonmi Park arrived in South Korea during the early months of 2009, with no money and only a basic education equivalent to about two years of elementary school, as well as a limited understanding of Korean interspersed with regional dialects and "Konglish," a blend of Korean and English that was new to her. Initially, Park was unaware of the existence of community lending libraries. Cultural practices such as a propensity for individual expression also presented challenges.

Lags in scholarly pursuits.

Schools in South Korea provided a syllabus that included topics like history and mathematics, taught without the ideological slant that Park had previously...

In Order to Live Summary Yeonmi's dedication to promoting awareness and her outspoken advocacy efforts

Yeonmi Park's remarkable journey to freedom from North Korea and her subsequent rise as a worldwide human rights champion demonstrates the power of one person's resolve against tyranny. Her commitment to highlighting human rights violations stems from her personal survival story and is fueled by the ambition to raise awareness of these matters within her homeland.

Gaining a voice through media and public speaking

She shared her personal narrative to heighten public consciousness.

Yeonmi Park leverages her influential position in the media and public conversations to share the harrowing story of her escape, shedding light on the hardships faced by those still living under the North Korean regime. She first gained attention when she appeared on a South Korean television show known as "Now on My Way to Meet You," using the alias Ye Ju to protect her family's security in North Korea. The insights shared by Park shed light on the struggles faced by defectors, leading to a reassessment of the prevailing perceptions among South Koreans.

Even though the show depicted her life with a certain level of idealization, Yeonmi did not shy away from sharing the more troubling...