North Korea remains arguably the most mysterious place on Earth. Its people and modern day customs are shrouded behind a digital and physical wall of propaganda. Many people in the United States feel that North Korea is our "enemy" but almost none of us have had the opportunity to interact with an actual person who lives in, or has lived under, the country's totalitarian regime.
Even more elusive is what life is like in one of North Korea's notorious prison camps. It's been reported that millions live in horrific conditions, facing the real possibility of torture and death on a daily basis. That's what makes this question and answer session with an escaped North Korean prisoner all the more incredible to read.
Kang Chol-hwan escaped from North Korea after 10 years in the notorious Yodok concentration camp and wrote about his experience in an acclaimed book The Aquariums of Pyongyang.
With his translator, Chol-hwan just participated in one of Reddit's famous "Ask Me Anything (AMA)" sessions. Here are some of the highlights, in which he discusses life in North Korea, what it was like living in a concentration camp, and even his thoughts on Donald Trump.
Q: How did you escape North Korea and did you flee alone?
A: He escaped by the river into China. With the help of some Chinese, he hid in a Chinese vessel into international waters and got saved by a Korean ship. He escaped with his friend.
Q: What are your feelings of Trump getting friendly with Kim Jong un?
A: At first, it seemed like a good thing. It feels like Kim Jong Un is more comfortable with Trump as compared to Xi Jin Ping. However, Trump is now against Kim Jong Un as he failed to denuclearize as promised. Trump probably thinks that his discussions with Kim Jong Un was useful for re-election.
Q: Do you think that the average NK citizen believes that the regime has their best interest at heart?
A: Definitely not. NK citizens know that the regime does not have their best interest but most of them could not do anything to change their circumstances.
Q: What made you question the propaganda while so many others never did?
A: External information made him question the propaganda. The truth is, as external information and content becomes more common in North Korea (via the black market or through sharing), more and more people are questioning the credibility of the regime. However, many people are uncertain of what can be done to improve in the situation.
Q: Is it true that marijuana is legal in North Korea? Is it commonly smoked by people there?
A: Nope, it is illegal. But it is really commonly smoked and available. Also, punishment is lenient.
Q: Do you suffer from any PTSD? Do the events that happened in the prison effect your everyday life?
A: To be honest, he isn't sure. He felt like he has gotten used to it, but definitely, it was an extremely traumatic experience. With this traumatic experiences, Mr.Kang feels that it has affected all prisoners and North Koreans even though they may not feel anything. Sometimes, simple things in everyday life reminds him of the life in prison, eg. Feeling chilly on a rainy day makes him feel gloomy.
Q: What were some of the more extreme things you saw while in camp? Did you make any friends in prison that you intend to keep up with as time goes by? What is the craziest thing that happened to you personally while serving your time?
A: The most extreme thing in the camp was how desperate people were to live. And also, seeing executions, where people were hang to death in public. The most normal form of execution is by shooting. I have made friends in North Korea. However, it is very dangerous to contact them even in North Korea. Needless to say, it is even more difficult when I'm in South Korea.
Chol-hwan has also started his own YouTube channel where he discusses his former life in North Korea and other issues. You can watch that below:
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Ketel Marte was brought to tears during an MLB game after facing a shameful fan taunt.
Baseball manager's poignant support for a player brought to tears after shameful fan taunt
Whether they’re expecting perfection from their favorite players or, worse, behaving callously toward opposing teams, sports fans often forget that athletes are human beings. But athletic competition has the ability to unify and uplift, even amid such painful and unpleasant encounters. Take, for example, a major-league baseball game held June 24, 2025 between the home team Chicago White Sox and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
A shameful low point occurred when Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was at bat in the seventh inning. Per ESPN, a fan reportedly yelled out a comment regarding Marte’s late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car accident in the Dominican Republic. Team personnel, including manager Torey Lovullo, then requested the 22-year-old fan be ejected. (Though he was remorseful and admitted his actions were inappropriate, according to an ESPN source, he was nonetheless banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks.) "We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan," the MLB said in a statement. Marte reportedly declined to comment.
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While the fan’s behavior is inexcusable, it did spark a powerful and inspiring moment. After hearing the comment, Marte was visibly upset, prompting Lovullo to walk on the field, put his arm around him, and offer some words of encouragement. "[I said,] 'I love you, and I’m with you, and we’re all together, and you’re not alone,'" Lovullo said in a post-game interview, as documented by The Rich Eisen Show. "'No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you’re heard, that guy is an idiot.’"
According to Arizona Republic, Lovullo heard the fan’s comment but didn’t want to repeat it. “I looked right at [Marte] when I heard,” he said. “I looked right at him, and he looked at the person, as well. He put his head down and I could tell it had an immediate impact on him, for sure."
Elsewhere in the post-game interview, the manager called the moment "terrible" and reflected on why he stood up for Marte. "Fans are nasty, and fans go too far sometimes," he said. "I love my players, and I’m gonna protect them…I’ve known Ketel for nine years. He’s had some unbelievably great moments and some hardships as well and some really tough moments in his life. I know those. At the end of the day, we’re human beings, and we have emotions. I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him."
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The following day, the Chicago White Sox X account sent out a message in support of Marte, writing, "We’re with you" and "Baseball is family." On The Rich Eisen Show, the show's host addressed the need to eradicate this kind of toxic athlete-fan interaction: "I was hearing [people saying], 'There’s no place for this in major league baseball.' There isn’t. There’s no place for this in our society. I understand that people are saying the MLB has got to do something about this. Fans have a right to heckle players—this is something that has happened forever…But there is a line."
In another recent, depressing sports moment with a beautiful coda, let’s look to Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the first quarter, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon—a devastating injury that could potentially sideline him for most of the 2025-2026 season. Following the game, in a lovely display of sportsmanship, Thunder point-guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the Pacers locker room to check on his competitor. In a press conference, he said, "You just hate to see it, in sports in general. But in this moment, my heart dropped for him. I can't imagine playing the biggest game of my life and something like that happening. It’s so unfortunate."
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