Lee Ae-ran

Lee Ae-ran (Hangul = 이애란; Revised Romanization = I Aeran; McCune–Reischauer = Ri Aeran) (born 1964) is a South Korean activist. In 2010 she received the International Women of Courage Award.

 Life 
Lee's grandparents left North Korea to go to South Korea. The government of North Korea sent Lee and her family to a labor camp. She was in jail for eight years. In 1997, a family member in America wrote a book.  The book said Lee's father worked against North Korea, so Lee ran away to South Korea.

Lee studied the subject of food and nutrition at Ewha Womans University.  In 2009, she received a PhD.

 Work 
In 2005, Lee started the Global Leadership Scholarship Program.  The program gives scholarships to students from North Korea to learn English.

In 2008, Lee ran for a seat in the National Assembly.  She was the first North Korean defector to do this.

In 2009, Lee started the Hana Defector Women's Organization.  The NGO helps North Korean women who live in South Korea.  The women receive job training, childcare, help with education, and human rights training.

Lee became the head of the North Korean Traditional Food Institute in 2012.  The institute tries to bring North and South Korea closer together.  It gives vocational training to North Korean defectors.  It also teaches about the food traditions of Pyongyang.

Also in 2012, Lee led an 18-day hunger strike in front of the Chinese embassy. Lee protested against China, because they wanted to send North Korean refugees back to North Korea.

 Awards 
Lee received a 2010 International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. Department of State.

 References 

 Other websites 

 2010 International Women of Courage Awards, U.S. State Department photostream on Flickr
 Secretary's International Women of Courage Award (U.S. Department of State)

Category:1964 births
Category:Living people
Category:South Korean human rights activists
Category:People from Pyongyang
Category:Women who received the International Women of Courage Award