The unexpected passing has been reported of Kim Yi Hyuk, a North Korean defector who escaped with nine family members on a fishing boat in 2023.

The YouTube channel 'Lee Chul Eun NK TV' announced the news early on December 5 through its community page.

Lee Chul Eun, the channel’s owner, is a former senior lieutenant in the Hwanghae Province division of North Korea’s Ministry of State Security, a secret police agency directly under the State Affairs Commission. He defected to South Korea in 2016 after swimming through open waters for nearly 20 hours in a harrowing escape.

Expressing his sorrow, Lee Chul Eun wrote, “I am sharing this post with a heavy heart after receiving the unexpected news from the Netherlands.”

He continued, “Kim Yi Hyuk, who courageously risked his life to escape North Korea in 2023 with his family, tragically passed away yesterday due to an unforeseen diving accident.”

Lee Chul Eun further shared his grief, saying, “As someone from the same hometown (in North Korea), I am deeply saddened and feel a profound sense of emptiness over the loss of Kim Yi Hyuk. He had left behind the oppression and degradation of North Korea and was finally on the path to living freely and happily in South Korea.”

He added, “Kim Yi Hyuk was a pioneer in exposing the absurdities of the North Korean regime and the atrocities of Kim Jong Un. I hope his journey is now free of oppression and exploitation. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and pray they find comfort in this difficult time.”

Kim Yi Hyuk made headlines in May 2023 when he successfully crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea with nine family members on a fishing boat. After his escape, he appeared on various TV programs, shedding light on life in North Korea, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when borders were tightly sealed.

In June, Kim Yi Hyuk shared his story on Channel A’s 'Now On My Way to Meet You.' He revealed, “I decided to leave North Korea when my daughter turned six and started kindergarten. I persuaded my wife, two children, my brother, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law. After three attempts, we finally succeeded in defecting.”

Kim Yi Hyuk’s death is a profound loss for his family and the community of defectors, as he has become a powerful voice in highlighting the harsh realities of life in North Korea.

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