Hyeonseo Lee

Hyeonseo Lee is a North Korean defector living in Seoul, South Korea. After escaping North Korea as a teenager and resettling initially in China, she has successfully adapted to life in South Korea, where she continues to advocate for the human rights of North Koreans and supports North Korean refugees globally. She completed her memoir, "The Girl With Seven Names," which was published in July 2015 in more than 20 countries and has become a global bestseller.

Lee has given testimony about North Korean human rights in front of a special panel of the UN Security Council, and has met with notable public officials including UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and the South Korean Minister of Unification, Yu Woo-ik. She has discussed issues with international leaders such as UN Ambassador Samantha Powers. Over 13 million people have viewed her TED Talk on her life in North Korea, her escape to China, and her efforts to bring her family to freedom. Lee spends much of her time speaking about North Korean human rights and refugee issues at prestigious venues including Stanford University, Princeton University, and New York University Law School. Additionally, she has written articles for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal Korea Real-Time, and the London School of Economics Big Ideas blog, and has been interviewed by major media outlets such as the BBC, CNN, and CBS News.

Lee is currently working on another book with other female North Koreans living in South Korea and is planning to start an organization to help promising North Korean refugees interact with the international community. She has completed her undergraduate studies in English and Chinese at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and has been honored as a Young Leader at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Fluent in English, she aims to act as a bridge between North and South Koreans in anticipation of future reunification. Her speaking topics often include leadership and overcoming adversity, focusing on her personal journey and broader human rights issues.