Reward Marriage

Shin’s mother and father, Jang Hye Gyung and Shin Gyung Sub, were forced to be wedded in what was referred to as a “reward marriage.” Neither had any say in the matter. Shin’s father told him that he was paid for being a good lathe operator. His reward was being married to Jang.

Pellagra

Pellagra was a potentially disease that was common in the North Korean prison camps. It was due to the lack of protein and niacin in the diets of the prisoners. Symptoms of pellagra included weakness, skin lesions, diarrhea and dementia.

Roasted Rats

One way to fight pellagra was to bolster a diet with protein. Mice and rats were the only protein available to the camp prisoners. Shin and the other boys would capture the rats and roast them on a coal grill. The boys would peel the skin away and...