Escape from Camp 14

Shin is a young man who was born in the North Korean labor camp known as Camp 14 and remains the only known person to have lived in the camp all his life prior to escape.

For many years, Shin did not question his life in the camp, as it was the only existence he had ever known. This proved to be a “perverse benefit” (73), in that Shin possessed no sense of loss or longing with regard to the outside world. However, it also meant that he was accustomed to the brutality and hostility encouraged in the camp. Likewise, the incentive to act as a snitch was a constant motivating factor and came into play when he informed on his mother and brother.

Notably, Shin had no conception of love or empathy, and he felt disassociated from his family. The camp was an environment in which people were punished for the sins of their family; indeed, Shin was born in the camp rather than having been sent there for any crimes that he had committed. Shin therefore experienced no initial guilt or doubt when it came to informing on his mother and brother for plotting to escape. As a result of his upbringing, he was self-serving and had no conception of loyalty.