This event brings together North Korean defectors to share their lived experiences of defection, adaptation, and identity in South Korea. It is hosted by Hayoun Noh, a DPhil candidate in the Human-Centered AI group (supervised by Prof. Max Van Kleek) at the Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford. Her research explores how digital technologies shape the transition of defectors from one of the least connected societies in the world to one of the most digitally advanced. It investigates how these technologies can be more thoughtfully designed to support their unique, underexplored needs and help them navigate the social stigma they face in a new society.

Built on in-depth work with over 50 North Korean defectors, this event — organized in collaboration with Freedom Speakers International — creates a space for firsthand narratives to be shared directly by defectors themselves. Freedom Speakers International is a nonprofit organization that supports North Korean refugees in becoming public speakers and sharing their stories with global audiences. The featured speakers are published authors and experienced advocates who have spoken internationally in the U.S., Switzerland, India, Poland, and the U.K. The two-hour session will include talks by the host, the co-founder of Freedom Speakers International (Casey Lartigue Jr.), and three refugee speakers (Yuna Jung, Riha Kim, Sujin Kim), followed by an open Q&A and discussion with the audience.