posted on Feb, 27 2019 @ 05:38 PM
This story is both heart wrenching and amazing.
www.npr.org...
The husband, from Vietnam, and the wife, from North Korea, had to overcome enormous obstacles to be together. Their love was forbidden for decades by
authorities on both sides. But eventually, they triumphed.
This story is worth the read. The committee he set up, for love. It just goes to show you what a single person can do if they set their mind to it.
Sometimes we complain about this or that in America. Some say we don't have true freedom. I don't care what people say, I know that we can truly love
who we want to here. We really can. There might be some people that don't like it, and won't bake a cake, etc.. but it is nothing like North Korea or
other places.
Here is the abbreviated story.
In the 1970's a young man from Vietnam and a North Korean woman both worked in a fertilizer plant in North Korea. It was love at first sight for
both.
North Korea is xenophobic and it was risky for him, (Pham) to approach Ri Yong. She liked him just as much. He began to visit her in her hometown.
He took several bus rides and walked miles to see her. This was very dangerous for both of them due to the regime.
Pham eventually had to go back to Vietnam. They managed to see each other every so often but it wasn't enough. They even went a decade without contact
in the 1980's. Ri Yong was barely able to survive due to starvation in North Korea, yet she pulled through.
Pham couldn't stop. He created a friendship organization between the two countries and even food donation. He was doing anything he could so he could
see his love. After all his deeds and goodwill, he pleaded his case to North Korea. Just image that... I can't put it in better words but this is
what happened:
In late 2002, after the couple had waited 30 years, North Korea took the rare step of allowing one of its citizens to marry a foreigner.
edit on 27-2-2019 by JAGStorm because: (no reason given)