Pilot Lee Woong-pyeong: Why he left 1.56 billion won untouched

The life of Lee Woong-pyeong, who shook South Korean society by defecting in a fighter jet, has been brought back into the spotlight. Having defected in 1983 by flying a MiG fighter, he was an elite pilot in the North Korean military, but after his defection, he had to endure state surveillance, assassination threats, and deteriorating health. In particular, the story of how he passed away without essentially touching the 1.56 billion won he received as a defection reward remains a poignant detail, showing that his defection was not merely a departure from a regime.

The SBS program 'The Story of the Day when the Tail was Bitten,' broadcast on the 3rd, revisited the 1983 defection of Lee and his life thereafter through the episode 'Turn the Rudder to Freedom! - Lee Woong-pyeong from the North.' Guests for the broadcast included CHUNG HA, ONF's HYOJIN, and actress Yoon Yoo-sun.

Lee was one of North Korea's top fighter pilots at the time. As he flew his MiG fighter south in 1983, alert warnings were issued for the Seoul metropolitan area and surrounding regions, putting the entire Republic of Korea in a state of tension. While military authorities even suspected he might be a spy performing a disguised defection, Lee resolved these doubts by providing high-level information regarding North Korea's military system and fighter jet operations.

The reward he received after defecting was 1.56 billion won. By the standards of that time, it was a massive sum that could have purchased dozens of luxury apartments. While it is difficult to compare it simply to today's currency value, it was an enormous amount of money, yet Lee did not use it for a luxurious lifestyle.

Immediately after his defection, his popularity was comparable to that of today's famous idol stars. He was flooded with requests for lectures and events, handling over 900 schedules in a single year, leading to comments that he was 'busier than the President.' The broadcast explained the scale of social interest at the time by mentioning that 1.5 million people gathered at Yeouido Plaza just to catch a glimpse of him. In an era when the Cold War was at its peak, the event of an elite North Korean soldier defecting in a fighter jet was itself a national shock and a symbolic event.

However, his defection cannot be explained solely by a longing for the standard of living in South Korea. The broadcast introduced that a crucial turning point was an empty ramen packet Lee found on a beach during a vacation. Upon seeing the text on the packet stating, 'Defective or damaged products will be exchanged,' he began to question the deprivation and control that were taken for granted in North Korean society.

His family history also influenced his decision to defect. As one family member left North Korea for the South first, his father was purged, and the entire family was exposed to political danger. It is said that his father told him, "Find your own way to live. If you stay here, you won't know what will happen to your future either." He was placed in a situation where he had to worry about his own survival and his family's fate rather than the future guaranteed to him as a military elite.

Life after settling in the South was by no means smooth. His wife, Park Sun Young, appeared on the broadcast and recalled how the couple suffered from safety issues, fearing possible retaliation from the North. She claimed that during their early marriage, they lived in military housing, and subsequently faced surveillance and wiretapping by state agencies. Park revealed that she discovered a long wire from a wiretapping device one day.

Ultimately, Park demanded a private meeting with the security commander, declaring, "Even if we only live one day, let us live outside. Otherwise, I will divorce you." The couple later moved to a civilian apartment and continued their lives after having two children. Behind the national symbol of a 'defection hero,' there existed another period of time that a single family had to endure to reclaim their daily safety and privacy.

Another trial came to Lee as his health deteriorated. Diagnosed with a terminal condition due to liver cirrhosis resulting from Hepatitis B, he strongly opposed his wife's suggestion for a liver transplant, but after Park Sun Young's efforts, he eventually underwent the surgery and recovered. However, he later showed signs of suspecting his wife regarding his medication, and not long after, he passed away suddenly. It is reported that in his final moments, he left words for his wife: "You went through so much trouble because of me. You suffered when you didn't have to.""

The meaning of the reward he left behind remained until the end of his life. It is known that rather than using the massive defection reward to accumulate personal wealth or for consumption, Lee expressed his intention to use it for his family left behind in North Korea when unification eventually occurs. He chose not to use the money that changed his life for his own new life, but instead left it as a symbol of responsibility toward his hometown and his family.

Lee's 1983 defection was one of the most representative defection cases on the Korean Peninsula during the Cold War. The course of a single fighter jet was more than just a military event; it influenced the propaganda competition between the North and South and the public perception of the regime's superiority. However, as time passes, it is not just the title of 'defection hero' that remains. This broadcast highlighted that at the center of this massive national event were the fears, choices, and responsibilities of one man and his family, along with the 1.56 billion won he ultimately never spent.