Noh Jin-hae, a North Korean teenage defector, shares her story back in North Korea during a forum hosted by South Korea's unification ministry, in a hotel in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Unification

A North Korean teenage defector on Thursday shared her horrific story of life in the reclusive regime during a forum hosted by South Korea's unification ministry.

"I wear makeup and go out here in South Korea, but my friends in North Korea can't even wash properly, let alone wear makeup. Some friends smell because they can't bathe, but we live understanding each other," Noh Jin-hae recalled.

The 16-year-old girl, who defected from North Korea in 2019, recalled her harsh life in the North, a day before the International Day of the Girl, declared by the United Nations to recognize girls' rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

Although Noh had a relatively affluent life in North Korea thanks to her father, she explained that showering was a near luxury, with the whole family having to share water fetched from outside.

"After school, some friends would go to the mountains to gather plants or sell them," she recalled.

Noh expressed her frustration with life in North Korea, sharing how students were forced to clean the statues of national founder Kim Il-sung in freezing cold weather.

In contrast, she enjoys being able to shower, wear makeup and freely wear clothes with English writing in South Korea.

Noh and her mother were featured in a 2023 documentary film called "Beyond Utopia," which covers their journey escaping from North Korea through China, Vietnam, and Laos to reach South Korea.

The meeting also brought together Vice Unification Minister Kim Soo-kyung and female foreign diplomats stationed here. (Yonhap)