Seeking Haven tells of a family’s desperate pursuit of
freedom against impossible odds. It first details Youngsoon Kim and her sister’s
escape across international borders from North Korea into China. While
Youngsoon kept on the move and achieved more lasting asylum in South Korea, her
sister was returned to North Korea, a political prisoner, leaving Kim to devote
most of her waking life to bringing her, as well as her father, back out from
North Korea.
The documentary’s matter of fact narration and no frills
production may cause one to underestimate the intensity of drama unfolding
before us. And while the placid
mountainous scenery along the Chinese-North Korean border, a breathtaking and
rarely viewed locale, has an air of serenity, the exasperation of Youngsoon‘s struggle gradually sets in and
takes hold.
An overview of the escape process detailed here involves a
dizzying number of border crossings and network of individuals, either working
out of compassion or for personal profit, ranging from trusted allies of the
North Korean military to South Korean religious leaders and government
operatives.
The brief production, just under an hour in length, is a mix
of compelling personal drama and an uncovering of little known facts. While it
remains unclear what the exact impetus is for Youngsoon and her sister’s
initial escape efforts, conditions of fear and squalor among a significant part
of North Korea’s population is hinted at. Intricacies of prohibited border
crossings and prison extractions are revealed, as well as the policies regarding those labeled political prisoners in North Korea.
Meanwhile, Youngsoon is a portrait of incredible
dedication. Her mind turns constantly to
seeking out information on her family’s wellbeing, and then to the task of
getting them across the North Korean border. Yet every move is filled with
uncertainty. As she makes arrangements with individuals, known as ‘brokers,’ hired
to investigate prisoners’ whereabouts and facilitate their escape, and makes
occasional contact with members of her family, one wonders how reliable any of
the information she obtains actually is.
Herein lies an irony that is overwhelmingly painful. On one
hand, Youngsoon is an extremely fortunate individual who has escaped
persecution to start her life again. We are given glimpses of the resilient and
energetic young woman as she engages various pursuits with a passion, never
wasting a moment of her freedom. Yet the peaceful environment around her cannot
quell the turmoil within as she struggles to help her family, always wondering
what fate has befallen them and whether or not she will ever succeed
in helping them escape.
What feelings truly lie behind the smile of someone like
Youngsoon, whose every day is filled with unease, is Seeking Haven’s most haunting
mystery, making it as fine an example of human drama as any.
SEEKING HAVEN is being
screened at the opening night of the 7th annual Korean American Film
Festival of New York on October 24, 8 PM, at Village East Cinema. Visit the KAFFNY website for details.
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