Another puzzle piece for unification (Songmi)

After signing books, answering their heartfelt questions, and receiving so many hugs, I found myself reflecting as I drove home, “Okay, Song-mi, you did a great job. You made another piece of the unification puzzle.” I’ve realized over time that I don’t need to make a dramatic impact, I don’t have to try to save the entire world. Every time I speak, I contribute a small piece toward something larger. Thanks to Freedom Speakers International and Mr. Casey Lartigue, I am able to do so.

I thought back to when I was a young girl in North Korea struggling to survive, eating grass, living in a barn, later was homeless before my mom escaped North Korea. If I could talk to the younger version of myself, I would tell her: “Don’t give up hope. Even when everything seems lost, don’t let go of hope.” At that time, my hope was being with my mom again.

When I escaped North Korea to follow my mom to South Korea, I carried a small knife. I told myself that if I were captured, I would rather end my life than be sent back. I didn’t want my relatives to get into trouble because of me, so I would kill myself North Korean guards could arrest and question me. I also brought photos of my mother, hoping to keep a part of her with me as I escaped. But they were confiscated by a guard on a train who brutally beat me when he guessed I was trying to escape North Korea. Losing those photos when I didn’t know if I would ever see my mom again was one of the most painful moments of the journey.

I also thought back to 2019 in South Korea when I was on the verge of committing suicide. I was trying to find hope that would give me a reason to continue living. That hope turned out to be English. Because of English, I met Mr. Casey. And then, Mr. Casey became my hope. He changed the direction of my life in a good way. I started to believe that my life might matter. That was another Carpe Diem moment — when I found Mr. Casey.

If I could talk to myself in 2019, knowing what I know now, I would say: “It is okay to suffer. Through suffering, you will overcome this situation and have a great opportunity to be alive.” Back then, it was hard to believe anything good could come from suffering. But now I understand that pain can create the space for change, and even in the worst moments, something meaningful can begin.

I also thought back to 2022. When Mr. Casey first mentioned the year before that I could write a book, I didn’t believe it. My story was too sad, and I wasn’t from the elite of North Korea. Why would anyone want to read my story? At that time, I was too shy, nervous, and afraid of standing before many people. I had been in South Korea for a decade, but I had never given an interview or a speech as I adjusted to life here. “I only graduated from elementary school in North Korea, and I went several years without even opening a book. How can I write a book?” I kept finding reasons I couldn’t do it. But Mr. Casey encouraged me and believed in me before I believed in myself.

The questions I received from the 15 women visiting South Korea moved me. They made me think more deeply about my experiences. When people engage with my story in that way, I feel encouraged. It reminds me that what I’ve gone through matters — not just to me, but to others who are listening with open hearts and open minds.

I never imagined that I would one day speak openly about these memories — or that I would be embraced for them. But now, I am meeting people who care, who listen with compassion and curiosity, and who give me strength to continue. May 4 was another unforgettable moment — another puzzle piece added in my journey toward healing and toward unification.
***
Songmi Han is a North Korean Refugee Author Fellow with Freedom Speakers International and the co-author of her memoir, “Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughter’s Search for Her Mother and Herself,” co-written with FSI co-founder Casey Lartigue Jr.

https://www.amazon.com/Greenlight-Freedom-Korean-Daughters-Herself-ebook/dp/B09SPVHGQF

30 Fundraisers Set Up — Just 10 More to Go!

Thanks to a generous South Korean donor, Freedom Speakers International is running a Matching Challenge to empower North Korean refugees.

The donor has pledged to donate $100 for every fundraiser set up — up to 40 fundraisers total.

✅ 30 people have already set up fundraisers
🎯 We need just 10 more to unlock the full match

At FSI, we empower North Korean refugees through education and public speaking. Many are now giving speeches around the world, writing books, and telling their stories in English for the first time.

By starting or supporting a fundraiser, you’re helping them continue that journey.
Even if you don’t raise any money, just setting one up helps us unlock more support.

👉 Set up your fundraiser. Show your support.
Together, we can amplify voices that were once silenced.

—
Casey Lartigue Jr.
Co-founder and Chairman
Freedom Speakers International (FSI)