Born into an elite North Korean family with ties to the ruling dynasty, Oh Hye Son grew up believing she was 'special' but then she tasted freedom overseas and decided to defect. "When I lived in North Korea, I never thought that I had no freedom. But after living abroad with my husband, I realised what freedom and democracy is and so it became difficult for me to live in North Korea," Oh says in an interview with AFP. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES