North Korean defector, subject of escape bestseller, changes his story

I've not read his book so I can't really comment on its content. Maybe the Washington Post journalist Blaine Harden and Shin spiced the story up a notch or two. But whatever it must have been one hell of an experience in Shin Dong-hyuk's life.

(Reuters) - A North Korean defector, whose dramatic escape from a brutal prison camp was the subject of a bestselling book, has changed key parts of his story and on Sunday apologised for misleading people.

"Escape from Camp 14", written by former Washington Post journalist Blaine Harden, brought Shin Dong-hyuk international fame. Shin, one of the best-known defectors from reclusive North Korea, said on his Facebook page he had tried to hide parts of his past.

"To those who have supported me, trusted me and believed in me all this time, I am so very grateful and at the same time so very sorry to each and every single one of you," Shin said.

uk.reuters.com...

Who cares now, right? This story will fall short of the overwhelming coverage of the lies told about him in the book in the first place.

Yes lies. Thats only too obvious. He's "recanting his story" or claiming they embellished his tale? My guess is the latter.

Look how the press twists his new statements.

Harden, whose book "shines through" with integrity, according to a fellow journalist's comment on its cover, said he had been in contact with Shin.

"I contacted Shin, pressing him to detail the changes and explain why he had misled me," Harden wrote on his website,

The reporter claims he was "misled".

He also told Harden that he had escaped the prison and fled to China where he was caught and sent back to the North, the newspaper said. In his original account, he said he had lived all his life in Camp 14 until his escape.

Emphasis added.

If he claims his 'original account' was different than the story in the Washington Post, there is only one conclusion to be drawn from that. The Brain Washing post lied.

Even his own father said he was never in any Camp!


But without his mother & brother to corroborate that, maybe they were killed in front of him!

originally posted by: EnigmaAgent
I've not read his book so I can't really comment on its content. Maybe the Washington Post journalist Blaine Harden and Shin spiced the story up a notch or two. But whatever it must have been one hell of an experience in Shin Dong-hyuk's life.

(Reuters) - A North Korean defector, whose dramatic escape from a brutal prison camp was the subject of a bestselling book, has changed key parts of his story and on Sunday apologised for misleading people.

"Escape from Camp 14", written by former Washington Post journalist Blaine Harden, brought Shin Dong-hyuk international fame. Shin, one of the best-known defectors from reclusive North Korea, said on his Facebook page he had tried to hide parts of his past.

"To those who have supported me, trusted me and believed in me all this time, I am so very grateful and at the same time so very sorry to each and every single one of you," Shin said.

uk.reuters.com...

i read that book.

"Our concern focuses on 70 years of grave human rights violations. The COI (commission of inquiry) had hundreds of witnesses, many online, so they can be judged by the whole world," Kirby told Reuters in a email reply from Sydney.

"Collectively, their testimony is compelling."

Not compelling enough for any world leaders (ahem) to do anything to help the poor people. Nope, we'll just welcome them into our country and make money off their stories. Woohoo. God save the World!