Dive into the incredible true story of a North Korean math prodigy who used the International Mathematical Olympiad as his ticket to freedom! From secret plans to heart-pounding escapes, this video has it all. If you love gripping tales and real-life heroism, hit that subscribe button! Tell us in the comments what part of Ringon's journey inspired you most. #math #escape #NorthKorea #freedom #trueStory
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv
0:00 - Ringon's Escape: The Opening Scene
1:19 - Early Life and Mathematical Talent
2:46 - Rising Star in Mathematics
4:21 - International Olympiads and Awakening
7:06 - Planning the Escape
9:19 - Escape Execution and Aftermath
13:13 - Impact on North Korea and New Life
17:07 - Freedom's Price and Closing Reflections
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv
0:00 - Ringon's Escape: The Opening Scene
1:19 - Early Life and Mathematical Talent
2:46 - Rising Star in Mathematics
4:21 - International Olympiads and Awakening
7:06 - Planning the Escape
9:19 - Escape Execution and Aftermath
13:13 - Impact on North Korea and New Life
17:07 - Freedom's Price and Closing Reflections
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FunTranscript
00:00July 15, 2016. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on the last night of the International Mathematical Olympiad.
00:08More than 600 young math geniuses from over 100 countries were seated at the closing ceremony.
00:14Among them were five students from North Korea, wearing white uniforms and the insignia of the Kim family on their
00:21chests.
00:22They won two gold medals and four silver medals, but one of them is not celebrating tonight.
00:28Ring-gon-jol, 18 years old, is uneasy.
00:31He's not thinking about the medal, he's thinking about the South Korean consulate, which is just 20 meters away from
00:37the campus.
00:38He's thinking about the 70 days he spent planning for these moments.
00:42And he's thinking that this is his last chance before he's recruited by the regime led by Kim Jong-un.
00:49Ring-gon escaped from the campus, avoiding the guards.
00:52And this is the first time in his life that he didn't follow any orders.
00:5611.47 at night, that's the time he escaped.
00:59And this is the story of a math genius who used an Olympiad to gain something more valuable than any
01:05equation.
01:06His freedom.
01:07But before we start, if you're new to our channel, please don't forget to subscribe so you'll always be updated
01:13with videos like this.
01:18Ri-ring-gon-jol was born in 1998 in the city of Pyeongsang, the second richest city in North Korea
01:25after Pyongyang.
01:27He grew up in a family that knew how to navigate the country's complicated system for many decades.
01:33They lived in a city where education was valued, and where scientists and academics had privileges that ordinary people couldn't
01:41even imagine.
01:42According to the social hierarchy called Songbun, the family belonged to the Hyken class, the group considered to be extremely
01:49loyal to Raymond.
01:50This wasn't just a designation.
01:52The family inherited it through generations that demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the state.
01:57In exchange for this were better housing, more food, and a stronger expectation of absolute loyalty.
02:04Even as a child, Ring-gon-jol already showed his exceptional ability in mathematics.
02:08While other children were still struggling with simple operations, Ring-gon-jol was already able to understand educational concepts that
02:15were supposed to be taught years later.
02:17For him, complex patterns and problem-solving seemed like a natural instinct.
02:21The first person to notice this was his father, a serious academic and a professor at the Department of Mathematics
02:28at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.
02:31After class, he would turn his son into a project, giving him strict and systematic training that went far beyond
02:38the usual curriculum.
02:39It wasn't just simple homework.
02:41For Ring-gon, it was preparation for a project.
02:44This was something that might be requested by the state.
02:46On the day of the competition, Ring-gon faced each problem with a calm, striking composure that surprised the observers.
02:54He didn't show the usual tension seen in other participants, and it seemed like he was even enjoying every step
03:00in solving the complicated mathematical challenges.
03:02His performance was so impressive that the evaluators had to repeat and review his answers multiple times to make sure
03:10that it was really just a young student who achieved perfect scores.
03:14That victory marked a before and after in his life.
03:18From then on, he was no longer just the brilliant student.
03:22He became a national resource in the eyes of the state, a talent that was not only his own, but
03:28also for Raymond, who discovered and nurtured him.
03:30In recognition of his national achievement, Ring-gon was transferred from the regular education system to a special program for
03:38the country's intellectual elite.
03:40His new reality included access to technology that was almost impossible for ordinary people to obtain.
03:47A laptop with specialized math software, although without an internet connection.
03:52A common limitation in North Korea was enough of a tool to develop international-level skills.
03:58But this laptop was more than just a study device.
04:02It was also a symbol of prestige and an instrument of control.
04:06Every use of it was monitored.
04:08Every programming activity was pre-approved, and every development of skills was carefully and directly guided toward goals that were
04:15beneficial to the state.
04:16For the average North Korean, even the best gift is the double-edged sword.
04:20In 2013, at the age of 15, Ring-gon received the most important news of his youth.
04:27He was chosen to represent North Korea at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Colombia.
04:33This first trip abroad brought about a huge change.
04:37For the first time, he experienced simple freedom.
04:40He could walk on the street without fear, see a different perspective of freedom and openness, and feel a different
04:46energy in society compared to the tightly controlled environment of his own country.
04:50Although he was the youngest participant in the world, his performance was truly remarkable.
04:55A silver medal is an extraordinary achievement for any participant at his age.
05:01North Korea finished in fifth place in the world.
05:04However, for the officials who were with him, the result, although impressive, was not enough.
05:10They invested a lot of resources in his training, and what they expected were gold medals.
05:14The next two years followed a similar pattern.
05:17In South Africa and Thailand, there were three international participations, three silver medals, and three demonstrations of mathematical excellence that
05:26any country would celebrate.
05:28For Ringgun himself, each international trip added a new layer to his expanding understanding of the world outside North Korea.
05:36Every exposure to different ways of life, every quick conversation with participants from other countries, every moment of even a
05:44little freedom, all slowly accumulated in his mind.
05:48A perspective was slowly forming, one that his supervisors never expected or wanted.
05:53When he returned from the IMO 2015, his destiny became crystal clear.
05:59An acquaintance who knew about the internal operations of the Workers' World Council said that high-ranking officials had already
06:07begun conducting discreet interviews with people close to him.
06:11Within a select few groups, this process is well known.
06:14That is the pre-evaluation stage before recruiting someone for the specialized division of the state.
06:20Ringgun immediately understood what this meant.
06:23His talent in mathematics was not meant for a normal career as an academic.
06:28This would push him towards cyber warfare operations, the secret program that North Korea had established long ago.
06:35This program recruits the best mathematicians and scientists from all over the country.
06:40They are placed in a closed facility and taught advanced programming, cryptography, and digital infiltration techniques.
06:47It's true that their conditions are better compared to ordinary people, but the price is the absolute loss of freedom.
06:54No contact with the outside, no family, and no right to leave.
06:58For Ringgun, this is heartbreaking.
07:00The international trips that opened his mind to the real possibilities of life are about to end forever.
07:06The next Olympics, Hong Kong 2016, will be the last moment of even a little freedom before he is swallowed
07:13by the machinery of the state.
07:15At this point, he had already planted a small seed, an idea that would slowly grow in the following months.
07:22What if he never came back?
07:24Imagine for a moment the feeling that your whole life has been preparation for something you never chose.
07:29That every success, every medal, and every moment of pride is simply the state's investment in your future obedience.
07:38Ringgun was only 17 years old when he discovered what his true destiny was.
07:43The following months became psychological torture for him.
07:47During the day, he continued with his studies.
07:49In the training routines, he pretended to be interested in the ideological lessons,
07:53and repeated the praises of loyalty that he had learned since childhood.
07:58Every smile was an act.
08:00Every gesture and interaction was a perfect mask.
08:03At night, while the other family members were sleeping,
08:06Ringgun began studying something he never expected or thought he would need.
08:10The geography of Hong Kong.
08:12The 2016 Olympiad would be his last competition before he turned 18.
08:16And with that, it would be his last chance to leave the country.
08:20During these months, he lived a double life.
08:23On the outside, he was the perfect son, a model student,
08:26and Raymond's math genius.
08:28On the inside, he was preparing the most dangerous plan of his life.
08:32A plan that, if it failed, would not only ruin his future, but also the fate of his family.
08:38Before he left, his father, a disciplined member of North Korea's elite academic circle,
08:43gave him 200 US dollars.
08:45There has been some speculation in the media about the possible involvement
08:48or assistance of his father in his escape.
08:51However, in 2019, Ringgold himself gave false information in an interview with one of South Korea's major newspapers.
08:59According to him, he hopes that the false information about him and his father will be corrected
09:03because he could also be punished.
09:06When I told him that I was going to South Korea, he told me not to go.
09:10The 200 US dollars he gave me was for newspaper expenses.
09:15And he said, if you need to buy anything, just buy it.
09:18And that's it.
09:19On July 6, 2016, the North Korean team arrived in Hong Kong.
09:23To the world, they are five talented students representing their country
09:27in the biggest mathematics competition on the planet.
09:30For Ringgold, this is the start of a countdown of exactly 10 days.
09:34On the outside, the competition seems fine.
09:37The team won two gold medals and four silver medals.
09:41They ranked sixth in the world.
09:44Ringgold won his fourth consecutive silver medal with 25 out of 42 points.
09:50For anyone looking from the outside, this was another success in mathematics.
09:55But for Ringgold, the medal or recognition no longer mattered.
10:00During the 10 days in Hong Kong, he didn't solve equations for the honor of the country.
10:04Instead, he thought about something more complicated.
10:07The possibility of a successful escape from the most closed-off country in the world.
10:13With each passing day, with every hour bringing the end of the competition closer.
10:17The tension was rising exponentially.
10:20He memorized that the distance from the campus to the South Korean consulate
10:23was exactly 32 kilometers.
10:26He studied the taxi routes, the schedules,
10:29and he practiced the simple English he would need to reach his destination.
10:33When July 15 arrived, at the closing ceremony,
10:37600 to 602 young mathematicians from 109 countries celebrated the end of the competition.
10:44But Ringgold, who wasn't smiling, couldn't calm his mind.
10:48He knew that in the next 24 hours, his life would change forever.
10:52He waited until his last companion had fallen asleep.
10:55Quietly, he packed his small backpack,
10:58the two $200 bills from his father,
11:00a piece of paper with an address written in Chinese,
11:03and the determination he had relied on for many months.
11:06The university's security cameras recorded it.
11:08The exact moment, 11.47 at night,
11:12a student leaving the campus alone,
11:15a clear violation of North Korean supervision protocol.
11:18At that moment, Ringgold crossed an invisible but definitive line.
11:23The first taxi took him from the campus to Hong Kong airport.
11:26For others, that decision might have seemed unplanned.
11:30But in reality, it was a brilliant and careful calculation.
11:33Only at the airport could he be sure to find South Korean staff 24-7.
11:38At the counter, an employee became his first contact with Freedom.
11:42Following protocol, the employee immediately contacted the South Korean consulate.
11:46The response was clear.
11:48Ringgold had to get to the consulate on his own
11:50to avoid any diplomatic issues.
11:53And it was 38 kilometers to Freedom.
11:56The taxi ride to the consulate was the second longest journey of his life.
12:01It felt like an endless adventure.
12:03The 38 kilometers from the airport to the consulate felt endless.
12:0838 kilometers between captivity and Freedom.
12:11Upon arriving at the consulate,
12:13Ringgold said the words he had rehearsed for months.
12:16I want to stay.
12:18I want to be free.
12:19The official from South Korea knew exactly what his words meant.
12:23From that moment, the 70 days of diplomatic negotiations began.
12:29That would determine his future.
12:31During those 70 days, Ringgold lived in an existential limbo,
12:35isolated inside the consulate.
12:37He was not North Korean nor South Korean.
12:39He had no family or friends.
12:41Only time kept him company, giving him space to think about the most important decision of his life.
12:47The authorities could send him back to North Korea at any time, at any time.
12:52A decision that could mean a death sentence.
12:55But finally, in September 2016, the Chinese authorities allowed him to fly to Seoul.
13:01He achieved the impossible dream, escaping from the most closed country in the world,
13:07using a mathematical Olympiad as his ticket.
13:10But what would be the price of his freedom?
13:13He achieved his goal, no doubt.
13:14But perhaps he has not yet fully measured its impact.
13:18That his escape revealed something.
13:21Something North Korea would rather have kept secret.
13:24While those 70 days at the South Korean consulate were chaotic,
13:28the remaining North Koreans faced a crisis they had never experienced before.
13:33Not only did they lose one of their most important military assets,
13:38but the state's careful secrecy about what was happening was suddenly exposed.
13:42Ringo was chosen for Bureau 121,
13:46the most complex and sophisticated North Korean cyber warfare unit,
13:50formally established in 1998, the year he was born.
13:54This program grew and became one of the most dangerous cyber warfare operations in the world.
14:00There are about 6,000 military hackers under this command.
14:04The organization operates from strategic locations around the world,
14:08including offices and luxury hotels in China and tech centers in allied countries.
14:13The fate that awaited Ringun-jul was to become part of the Lazarus Group,
14:17which inside North Korea is known as the Office of Liaison 414.
14:22This organization is responsible for some of the most devastating cyber attacks in recent history,
14:28and it is said that they have collected around $3 billion since 2020 to fund North Korea's regime.
14:34The operators of the Lazarus Group are careful.
14:38As expected, responsibility is divided.
14:4020% for collecting intelligence about technological trends.
14:4415% for espionage, which focuses on important political and military figures.
14:4925% on public manipulation.
14:5220% on financial hacking.
14:54And 20% on cryptocurrency theft.
14:56Ringun, because of his exceptional skills in mathematics,
14:59will most likely be assigned to cryptocurrency.
15:02And penetration of complex financial systems?
15:05Since Ringun's escape has a direct impact.
15:08North Korea stopped their participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2017 and 2018.
15:14The country participated again in 2019.
15:17They introduced an unprecedented security protocol.
15:21Each math team was accompanied by a government agent who watched over them 24-7.
15:26Ringun's escape showed that even so.
15:29The students were the most privileged, the most secure.
15:32And after being fed by the system since childhood,
15:35they could choose freedom over family security and Raymond's protection.
15:38It was a heavy blow to the image they wanted to project.
15:42In September 2016, after 70 days,
15:46when faced with diplomatic and intense uncertainty,
15:49Ringun Yul arrived in Seoul.
15:51He got a new passport and a new legal identity as Lee Yong-ho,
15:56with South Korean citizenship.
15:59Ringun's new reality had everything that a North Korean could dream of.
16:03Internet access, freedom of expression, and university education.
16:07And the ability to travel freely.
16:09He enrolled at Seoul National University, where he studied mathematics,
16:13and temporarily worked as a researcher in 2019.
16:17He expressed his desire to get a scholarship to study in the U.S.,
16:21which proved that his academic ambition truly remained intact.
16:26He achieved something that millions of North Koreans can only dream of,
16:30and many can't even imagine because they have never experienced this kind of freedom.
16:36Complete freedom in studying, traveling, and expressing their own ideas.
16:41But as he quickly learned, physical freedom does not always heal emotional wounds.
16:47There are losses that no privilege can ever make up for.
16:52His personal decision to choose freedom could have severe effects on those he left behind in North Korea.
16:58North Korea systematically enforces the three-generation punishment on the families of deserters.
17:05This means his parents, siblings, and possibly future generations could face severe punishment.
17:11Since he escaped in 2016, he has had no direct contact with his family,
17:15nor has he been able to confirm anything about them.
17:18He also doesn't know if they were sent to a labor camp.
17:21Are they still alive, or victims of reprisals because of his decision?
17:25This uncertainty is not just a psychological theory.
17:29It's something faced by all high-profile North Korean deserters.
17:33It's shocking that the child who could sometimes answer the hardest questions
17:37is now facing a problem with no solution.
17:40Whether the price of his freedom is worth it,
17:42compared to the possible suffering of his loved ones.
17:46Now at the age of 26, Lee Jung lives in Seoul and seems successful in the eyes of others.
17:51He finished studying mathematics at Seoul National University.
17:55He has complete freedom to travel, study, and express his ideas without fear.
18:00However, in 2022, in an interview with Radio Free Asia,
18:04he shared an unexpected truth.
18:07When I go to a meeting, I think the first thing people remember is not me.
18:12But my image is Matt Genius, who escaped from North Korea in 2016.
18:17That's why they call me Matt Genius, even if they don't know my name.
18:20But even though others think I'm special, I just want to be ordinary.
18:25I think it's okay for me to forget for now.
18:30Now how about you?
18:31What can you say about our video today?
18:33Let us know in the comments.
18:34And before we end, please don't forget to subscribe so you'll always be updated with our new videos.
18:41Once again, thank you so much for watching.
18:44This is Noel Polo TV.
18:46See you on my next video.
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