Lucia Jang, a North Korean defector, with her co-author Susan McClelland, and translator Soohyun Nam discuss the new memoir, Stars Between the Sun and Moon: One Woman’s Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom (Douglas & McIntyre, 2014), with Joseph Planta.

Stars Between the Sun and Moon: One Woman’s Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom by Lucia Jang and Susan McClelland (Douglas & McIntyre, 2014). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Stars Between the Sun and Moon

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

We hear a lot about North Korea and the terrible regime in power there. In the coming weeks, a Hollywood film will be lampooning Kim Jong Un in a major comedic release. We see in the news regularly discussion of missile launches, or other sabre-rattling from Pyongyang, or even visits from Dennis Rodman. They all sort of overshadow what life is like within the fortress walls of North Korea. A new book provides one woman’s remarkable account of life in North Korea, and the journey she took to freedom. The book is called Stars Between the Sun and Moon: One Woman’s Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom. The books author Lucia Jang joins me now with her co-author Susan McClelland, and their translator Soohyun Nam. Lucia Jang is a pseudonym as even today, family members who remain in North Korea might be subject to punishment. We will discuss this book now, about the escape to China that Lucia made to bring food back, her imprisonment when caught, and the last time she escaped, this time to freedom and eventually to Canada where she lives with her two sons. You learn something about survival in this book, about the abuse that millions experience in North Korea today, and about the resilience of a mother. Lucia Jang was featured in a documentary on CBC’s fifth estate. Susan McClelland is an award-winning journalist and author. She’s appeared in major publications across Canada, and has written three previous books: Bite of the Mango, The Last Maasai Warriors, and The Tale of Two Nazanins. Soohyun Nam is a Toronto-based refugee lawyer and cellist. She translated between Ms. Jang and Ms. McClelland, and will be translating for Mrs. Jang on this interview today. The book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line from Toronto today, Lucia Jang; Mrs. Jang, good morning. Susan McClelland, Ms. McClelland, good morning. And Ms. Nam, good morning to you.

(Logistical assistance provided by Zoe Grams, and technical production assistance provided by Jeremy Lim.)

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