Interview 5, a 17-year-old girl from Musan, North Korea, first arrived in China, 2003.

She misses her parents, two sisters and brother. Her father works in a mine and her mother is a homemaker. Her father received food distributions but only enough for 4-5 days each month. Before the economic reform he earned 100 won/month (in 2003, about U.S. $45.00). Now he gets 2000 won/month (in 2003, about U.S. $900.00). She has a big family so it's difficult to survive.

She came because she lost the $120.00 that was supposed to be for her older sister's marriage. She couldn't go home after losing that money because she was ashamed, so she came to China. This is her first time in China but she had some Chinese money. After she came she was dining alone in a restaurant, met a man, and they married.

She finished high school. Her sister is at the university.

She came to China because she wanted to have a stable life and give money back to her family. She married a 27-year-old Chinese man. She can't work because she has no identification. She lives in a village and her husband is a peasant. She likes living here but hasn't betrayed her country. If she doesn't get caught then she'll be fine going home. She sends messages to her family saying that she's safe here but she's heard no reply.

Interview 8, 51-year-old woman, first arrived in China 2000.

Her husband died six years ago. Her 23-year-old son lives in North Korea and is a beggar. She got married to a Korean-Chinese man here and is doing farm work.

"China's good for living because the more you work, the more you get... In North Korea it's difficult to get rice. North Korea was better when Kim Il-Sung was alive."

Food distribution was good until 1994. After 1995 the distribution slowed down until it stopped.

She's nervous because of the police checks. She's heard that they'll beat you if you get caught. She wants to stay here with her husband.