As a teenager, Timothy twice fled from his home in North Korea. After spending time in a North Korean prison, he managed to escape to Shanghai and then the Philippines before settling in the UK.
A British journalist once asked, “What does UK life mean to you, Timothy?” He replied, “What I remember of my experience of living in this totalitarian regime was that I didn’t know who I was, what choice I had, what I loved, and what my dream was. The 13 years of my life in Britain have helped me to discover who I am, what I love and care about, and what I stand for - our intrinsic democratic constitutional values of freedom of faith, expression, speech & opportunity.”
He studied Politics and International Relations at Salford for his undergraduate, before studying his MA at Liverpool. Timothy says it was his time at Liverpool that inspired to speak up about his experiences.
In recent years, Timothy has spoken out on behalf of persecuted people in North Korea. His journey has taken him all over the world, including addressing the United Nations in Geneva, meeting with King Charles III and to 10 Downing Street.
Timothy is now a political activist in the UK, having worked in the House of Commons for an MP, he is now clerk to the All Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea and has stood in two local elections in the UK.