Kwang-Sun's* chest puffed with pride whenever he looked at the photograph of North Korea's "Dear Leader," Kim Jong Il, hanging on the wall of his humble dwelling. It had been years since he served in the North Korean army, and although his job was only that of a musician in the army band, he couldn't have been prouder to have played his part in service to his country. He had even performed in front of the "Dear Leader" himself.

Her husband's body floated in her arms, lifeless. Fearing for her own life, she allowed the frigid river current to coax him from her grasp. There was no time to watch his corpse float away. Just moments before, Mi Rae and her husband, Chin Ho [not their real names], were attempting a daring escape across the river separating North Korea from China. With the Chinese shoreline almost within reach, bullets fired from a North Korean border guard had abruptly ended Chin Ho's life. Hoping to avoid the same fate, Mi Rae desperately lunged towards the shore.