Han Song-yi claims, "Lim Ji-hyeon was kidnapped, not returning to North Korea" — making the assertion 8 years later

Lim Ji-hyeon, a broadcaster and former defector who shocked the public by suddenly returning to North Korea in 2017, has been called upon again after 8 years. As defector broadcaster Han Song-yi claimed, "She was kidnapped and taken there. It is a fact," a completely different sequence of events from what was known at the time has been raised regarding Lim Ji-hyeon's re-entry into North Korea.

On the 7th, Han Song-yi appeared on the channel 'Dakteosin' of broadcaster Shin Jung-hwan to share stories about North Korea and life as a defector. When Shin Jung-hwan asked if she had any intention of returning to North Korea, Han Song-yi replied firmly, "I can't go. I won't go." She continued by questioning the country, asking, "Is that a nation?" and stating, "I am very satisfied with life in South Korea."

The atmosphere shifted during the conversation when the story of a woman who appeared on a defector variety program and then returned to North Korea was mentioned. When Shin Jung-hwan asked, "Didn't she go up because she wanted to?" Han Song-yi repeatedly emphasized, "She was kidnapped and taken there. It is a fact."

The claim made by Han Song-yi was specific. She stated that the woman's husband was a Chinese compatriot, and after receiving a message from him saying, "Your parents are in China, so come quickly," she headed to China only to be caught and dragged away by North Korean State Security Department agents. Based on this, Han Song-yi also warned defectors, "You must not go to China."

Han Song-yi also drew a line regarding the financial issues that were raised by some at the time. She claimed, "She was a sincere friend who never caused any money troubles." However, she explained that she was not directly close to the individual but learned the related stories through acquaintances.

Han Song-yi also raised the possibility that the interview, in which the individual appeared in North Korean media to criticize life in South Korea, might not have been a voluntary statement. Her claim is that "If threatened in the North, one has no choice but to do it." This can be interpreted to mean that it is difficult to judge the actual intention of the person involved or the entire process of re-entering North Korea based solely on the statements made in the video released after her return to North Korea.

The person mentioned by Han Song-yi is Lim Ji-hyeon, who appeared on TV CHOSUN's 'Moranbong Club' and 'Love and Unification: Southern Man, Northern Woman Season 2'. Lim Ji-hyeon, who drew attention by revealing her service in the North Korean military as a native of Pyongyang, appeared as a virtual couple with broadcaster Kim Jin on 'Love and Unification: Southern Man, Northern Woman Season 2'. She disappeared from broadcasts after the program ended in April 2017, and her re-entry into North Korea was revealed three months later in July when she appeared in a video from the North Korean anti-South propaganda media 'Uriminzokkiri' under the name 'Lim Ji-hyeon'.

In the video at the time, Lim Ji-hyeon claimed that she had left North Korea in 2014 and returned in June 2017, criticizing the hardships of life she experienced in South Korea, the perception of defectors, and her experience appearing on broadcasts. Regarding the kidnapping allegations raised by some, she refuted them, saying they were lies fabricated by the South. However, the actual circumstances of her re-entry into North Korea and whether there was coercion during the process of appearing in North Korean media have not been officially clarified to this day. While Han Song-yi's remarks have brought the incident back to the surface, her claims require further verification of the facts as they are strictly personal testimonies.

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