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PSCORE founder Kim Young-Il wrote the forward for Across the Tumen: A North Korean Kkotjebi Boy’s Quest by Young-Sook Moon.

This incredible book tells the story of Yeong-dae, a Kkotjebi* trying to survive in North Korea. Of all the books we have read about North Korea, this is the first to delve this deeply into the tragic world of the Kkotjebi. He crossed the Tumen river to find his sister, the only surviving family menber.

“When I started reading this book, I found myself amazed that the author seemed to understand North Korean society even better than me—and I used to live there! I was sucked into the story, and it felt less like reading a novel and more like reliving my childhood and escape from North Korea. Around 25,000 North Koreans have defected to the South as of 2013, and it seemed like the heartbreaking tale of each defector was distilled into this story.” – Kim Young-il, president of PSCORE

The book is available for purchase in Korea and abroad through the publisher Seoul Selection.

About the Author
Moon Young-sook was born in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, in 1953. Her literary career took off when she won the 2nd Blue Literature Prize in 2004 and the 6th Literature Neighborhood Prize for Children’s Literature in 2005. In 2012, she received a creative grant from the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture. Moon’s main reason for writing stories is to teach young people about parts of Korean history that Koreans must never forget. Some of her best-known works are the young adult historical novels ”The Kareiski’s Endless Wandering” and ”The Children of Henequen.” She has also written a number of children’s novels, including ”Picture in the Tomb,” ”The Dark Sea,” ”Hagi: Lady of the Court,” ”The Coat of Many Colors,” ”The Old Man Who Became a Little Child,” and ”The Bread of Kaesong.”

*(Kkotjebi 꽃제비 is the Korean word for North Korean homeless children. It translates as “flowering swallows,” referring to their constant need to find food and shelter. They are not officially recognized in North Korea, and the term is strictly prohibited in state publications and documents.)

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