Lim Su-kyung facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lim Su-kyung
임수경
Member of the National Assembly
In office 30 May 2012 – 29 May 2016
Constituency	Proportional Representation №21
Personal details
Born	(1968-11-06) 6 November 1968 (age 56) Seoul, South Korea
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Sogang University

Lim Su-kyung (born 6 November 1968) is a South Korean activist and politician. An activist is someone who works to bring about social or political change. A politician is someone who works in government. She is well-known for visiting North Korea in 1989. This visit was for a big youth festival. She went without getting permission from the South Korean government. When she returned, she was arrested for breaking a law. She later became a member of the National Assembly.

Lim Su-kyung's Famous Visit

Traveling to North Korea

In 1989, Lim Su-kyung was a university student. She decided to visit North Korea. She went to attend the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students. This festival was a big event for young people from many countries. Lim was the only person from a South Korean student group to attend.

The South Korean government had not allowed her group to send anyone. But Lim and her group found a way. She traveled for 10 days to reach North Korea. She went through Japan and Germany to get there. Her visit to North Korea lasted for 45 days. During her stay, she even met with the leader, Kim Il Sung.

Returning Home

Lim crossed the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on 15 August 1989. The DMZ is a border area between North and South Korea. She was the first regular person to cross it openly since the Korean War. When she returned to South Korea, she was arrested. This was because she had broken a law by traveling without permission.

She spent about three years in prison. Later, she was pardoned by the South Korean President. Lim has said that her visit was a selfless act. She wanted to help bring the two Koreas closer.

"Flower of Unification"

Lim Su-kyung is seen differently in North and South Korea. In South Korea, some people thought her visit caused problems. But in North Korea, she is seen as a hero. The North Korean government gave her a special nickname. They called her the Flower of Unification. This means "Flower of Reunification" (통일의 꽃). A documentary film was also made about her in 1989. It was called Hail Lim Su-kyung, the Flower of Unification.

Lim Su-kyung's Political Career

In April 2012, Lim Su-kyung became a politician. She was elected to the 19th National Assembly. The National Assembly is like the parliament or congress of South Korea. She served as a representative for the Democratic United Party.

Documentaries About Lim Su-kyung

An Argentinian filmmaker named José Luis García made a documentary about Lim. It was called La chica del sur (which means "The Girl From the South"). This film came out in 2012. It showed Lim's efforts for a united Korea in 1989. It also showed later meetings between Lim and the filmmaker. The movie tries to show how Lim's ideas and personality changed over time. It won an award in Argentina for Best Documentary.

See also

• In Spanish: Lim Su-kyung para niños
• Korean reunification
• Politics of South Korea