The Tumen River (두만강, Doomangang), immortalised in many Korean songs and historical narratives, is as a crossing point for North Korean defectors risking their lives to seek freedom. Park Hyung-Geun (KR) retraced the defection routes of these refugees. This journey is documented through photographs of views and places associated with the defectors’ stories. The Tumen River Project begins from two perspectives: from the Unification Observatory in South Korea, which offers a seemingly peaceful but artificial view of North Korea, and from the Chinese border, where the harsh realities of the North Korean regime become more apparent. These contrasting views highlight the dichotomy between the idealised image of North Korea and its harsh reality. The Tumen River Project is co-published with Vostok Press, and part of Layers of Memories.
