Cambridge University: Life in North Korea Seen from the Heart of the Regime

The Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge is delighted to announce this year's Ra Jong-Yil Distinguished Lecture in Korean Studies by the former North Korean diplomat Mr Tae Yong-ho. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-booking required.

What does it mean to live at the very center of one of the world’s most secretive and repressive regimes? In this talk, Tae Yong-ho, former North Korean Deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom, provides a rare and profound insider’s perspective on the internal mechanics of the North Korean system. Moving beyond the common narrative of economic hardship, he explores a more fundamental tragedy: how a state-controlled society renders individuals "living-dead" by stripping them of their agency and thoughts. Drawing from his personal history as a member of the privileged "core class" (songbun) in Pyongyang, Mr. Tae describes his journey from an elite upbringing to a career in the Foreign Ministry. He provides firsthand accounts of the rigid social stratification that governs every aspect of life in North Korea, where housing, education, and even survival are determined by one’s perceived loyalty to the Kim bloodline.

A central theme of the lecture is the psychological and moral conflict faced by those within the regime. Mr. Tae reflects on his experiences as a diplomat, where he was tasked with defending the indefensible to the international community. He shares the pivotal realization that led to his 2016 defection: the discovery that liberal democracy, despite its imperfections, is a system that protects the fundamental right to make mistakes and engage in open debate—a stark contrast to a system where a single word can end a life.

The discussion also delves into current geopolitical developments, including the public emergence of Kim Jong-un’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, which Mr. Tae interprets as a sign of the regime's growing internal instability and lack of trust in its own institutions.

Concluding with a powerful call for unification, Mr. Tae argues that Korean unification is not merely a political or economic calculation, but a moral imperative for human liberation. He redefines unification as a process where every North Korean can finally become the master of their own life, gaining the freedom to speak without fear. This lecture offers a compelling narrative of transformation, from a defender of a dictatorship to a champion of freedom and democracy

Mr Tae Yong-ho was a former North Korean Deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the highest-ranking diplomat to have defected to South Korea. His defection in 2016 was driven by a profound desire to secure a future of freedom for his two sons, who had grown accustomed to life in London. Since arriving in Seoul, Mr. Tae has become a leading voice for democracy and human rights for North Korean people. Mr. Tae made history in 2020 as the first North Korean defector to be elected to South Korea’s National Assembly through a direct constituency vote, representing Seoul’s Gangnam District.

In 2024, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, marking the highest-ranking government post ever held by a North Korean defector. An accomplished author, his best-selling memoir, Passcode to the Third Floor, was released in English in April 2024, offering a rare and poignant glimpse into the inner workings of the North Korean regime.

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Host or Publisher Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge