- Hwang Jang-yop: Hwang Jang-yop was a high-ranking North Korean official who served as the Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. He defected to South Korea in 1997, and his escape attracted significant international attention.
- Kim Hyon-hui: Kim Hyon-hui was a North Korean agent who was involved in the 1987 bombing of Korean Air Flight 858, which killed all 115 people on board. She later defected to South Korea in 1999.
- Shin Dong-hyuk: Shin Dong-hyuk was born in a North Korean prison camp and spent most of his life there. He managed to escape in 2005 and later wrote a book about his experiences, titled "Escape from Camp 14".
- Ji Seong-ho: Ji Seong-ho was a North Korean defector who escaped from North Korea in 2006. He lost an arm and leg during his escape when a train ran over him as he was crossing the border. He later became a human rights activist and spoke out about the harsh realities of life in North Korea.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have successfully escaped from North Korea. It is estimated that there are tens of thousands of North Korean defectors living in other countries around the world, primarily in South Korea. However, the exact number is difficult to determine due to the secretive nature of North Korea and the challenges of verifying individual accounts of escape.
