Man who escaped North Korea shares emotional message for residents he left behind

A man who managed to escape North Korea has a tear-jerking message to the people who are still living there.

Timothy Cho is one of the thousands of people to have fled North Korea, which is often referred to as the 'hermit country'.

It is currently illegal to leave the country without gaining the government's permission.

But it's estimated that at least 30,000 North Korean citizens have escaped the country since the 1950s, says NDTV — many of whom flee to neighboring countries such as South Korea and China.

It was revealed that in 2024, just over 100 people were able to successfully flee North Korea, NK News reported.

North Korea is run by Kim Jong-Un — pictured right (ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)

But Cho is now living in the UK and describes himself as, as per his Instagram, a 'Secretariat UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on NK; Political Candidate; Analyst, Advocate, Writer on Human Rights & Korean Affairs; CREDO Ambassador'.

Cho recently sat down with LADbible where he was asked a series of questions as part of its Honesty Box YouTube series.

As of part of his interview, Cho was asked: "What message would you want to send people living in the regime?"

Timothy Cho fled North Korea and now lives in the UK (LADbible Group)

Becoming emotional, he replied: "I don't think I have forgotten them. Every minute, I do think of [North Korea]."

He went on describe the people there as 'lovely'.

"They are people like us," Cho said.

"They are people who laugh, who talk, and who want to go to watch football games, and want to entertain and [watch] films and listen to songs, just like every one of us."

"It's very sad that they cannot have a life like that we have in the UK, and US, and other countries," he continued.

"In North Korea, the people survive on a daily basis and it's not something that they chose. They gave too many years to be held in the darkest regime of the police state and everything is run by and controlled by the Kim family.

"But it is a beautiful country. One day I hope you will be able to travel to that country and see the beautiful mountains, landscape, and people of North Korea."

The country closed its borders to international visitors in January 2020 and has only recently reopened them.

Cho concluded his poignant message: "I just want to say one sentence to my fellow North Koreans inside: 'please do not lose your hope'. There are people outside and we fight for you."

• Man who escaped North Korea describes what happens if you buy a TV in the country
• North Korea shares rare glimpse into secret facility used to produce nuclear materials
• What Life Is Like In North Korea, According To A Defector
• North Korea Cracks Down On Skinny Jeans Ban