‘North Korean Paris Hilton’ Turned Conservative Activist Shaking Up American Politics

Human Rights Activist Park Yeon Mi
Transforms into an American Right-Wing Star
Called as the North Korean Paris Hilton

The recent activities of Park Yeon Mi, a North Korean defector and human rights activist, have sparked conversation, and last year, The New York Times reported that Park has transformed into a fearless critic of the American progressive movement.

Park first gained fame as North Korean defector student Park Ye Ju on the South Korean reality show Now on My Way to Meet You in the early 2010s. She is known to have been born in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, North Korea, in 1993 and defected in 2008. After passing through China and Mongolia, she settled in South Korea in 2009 and dedicated herself to raising awareness about the human rights situation in North Korea.

Since giving a speech on North Korean human rights and studying in the United States in 2014, Park has been living in the U.S. and working as a human rights activist. She stated that obtaining U.S. citizenship was necessary for her safety due to her work as a North Korean human rights activist.

Park gained international attention after delivering a speech at the World Young Leaders Conference in Dongailbo in 2014. At the time, Park revealed that the defector broker sexually assaulted her mother and that she was also sold to a Chinese man.

Park’s speech drew attention to the severity of human rights abuses in North Korea. The video of her speech has garnered over 8 million views, and she has been consistently invited to speak at official events in the United States, where she continues to discuss the rights of North Korean defectors.

Since obtaining U.S. citizenship, Park has been working as a speaker. She has shocked many with her recent activities as a rising star of the American right wing, not just for her advocacy for North Korean human rights.

According to a report in The New York Times last year, Park, who graduated from Columbia University in 2020 and obtained U.S. citizenship, has published a book titled While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector’s Search for Freedom in America and is appearing on conservative broadcasts and events.

She has reportedly criticized Columbia University’s education system for enforcing political correctness, likening it to the brainwashing methods used in North Korea.

She has argued that some educational practices in the United States aim to indoctrinate left-wing ideology, stating, “This is the biggest threat our country and our civilization are facing,” and has consistently advocated for right-wing ideologies.

Park has been outspoken in her criticism of political correctness, a movement that has spread through the American progressive movement and academia. She argues that while it claims to respect the rights of minorities, it does not listen to opposing views and is becoming increasingly totalitarian. Over the past two to three years, she has shared her personal experiences while criticizing political correctness in her speeches.

Park has faced criticism for expressing her admiration for the novels of Jane Austen while studying at Columbia University and for being called a racist when she attempted to report a black robber to the police in Chicago. She has startled American citizens by stating, “America is becoming more and more like North Korea.”

Since 2023, Park has contributed to the American youth conservative group Turning Point USA, earning $6,600 a month and participating in various political events in the United States.

However, not all Americans view Park’s human rights activism positively. Last year, The Washington Post reported suspicions about Park, focusing on her economic status in North Korea.

Park has previously stated that she lived a life of luxury in North Korea thanks to her father, who was a member of the Workers’ Party of North Korea, even buying designer bags.

As a result, she gained popularity and the nickname North Korean Paris Hilton. However, The Washington Post reported that Park changed her narrative when she became a human rights activist dealing with serious human rights issues.

In an interview, Park claimed, “I had to eat grass and dragonflies to survive, and I had never seen an egg or an indoor bathroom until I left North Korea.” The Washington Post determined this to be a lie.

The Washington Post speculated that Park’s claims have inconsistencies and exaggerations. Park explained that her inconsistent testimony was due to her limited English and past trauma.

Meanwhile, last year, while visiting the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom, she expressed her wish for more people who dislike America to defect to North Korea to a U.S. soldier who had crossed the military demarcation line without permission. This statement earned her the admiration of American netizens.