Ask a North Korean

John Stossel recently profiled Charles Ryu, a two-time escapee from North Korea who now warns others of the evils of socialism.

Ryu's story is quite compelling, including the following:

Ryu's time in China was short-lived. Someone told the Chinese officials that he was North Korean. China sent him back.

North Korea then punished him for escaping. "I was beaten ... fed only 150 kernels of corn. One morning I was marching ... I saw dry vomit on the road and was so hungry that I got on my hands and knees and began picking the rice out of the dry vomit. I didn't stop ... until the beating from the guards was too unbearable."

Nine months later, he was freed from prison labor because "I lost so much weight that I was a worthless worker."

Eventually Ryu escaped again, sneaking past guards into the Yalu River.

Stossel's entire piece is worth reading and includes links to Ryu's YouTube channel.

Stossel notes that, with nearly two thirds of young Americans having a favorable opinion of socialism, there is a strong need for a corrective.

But people liking socialism is hardly the only danger to freedom here today. I can think of at least one prominent figure -- regarded by many as our savior from socialism -- who openly admires the operator of that slave pen.

Socialism is simply one variety of tyranny, and focusing too closely on just it can cause us to fall victim to one of the others.

-- CAV