A MiG-15 to Freedom: Memoir of the Wartime North Korean Defector Who First Delivered the Secret Fighter Jet to the Americans in 1953

by No Kum-sok, J. Roger Osterholm

On September 21, 1953, U.S. airmen at Kimpo Air Base near Seoul, Korea, were startled to see landing a MiG-15, the most advanced Soviet-built fighter plane of the era, piloted by Senior Lieutenant No Kum-Sok, a 21-year-old North Korean Air Force officer. Once he landed, Lieutenant No found that his mother had escaped to the South two years earlier, and they were soon reunited. At his request, No came to the United States and became a U.S. citizen. His story provides a unique insight into how North Korea conducted the Korean War and how he came to the decision to leave his homeland.

Genres: History, Memoir, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Biography

231 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

The parts of the book that involve his direct observations and experiences are great! But there's a lot of talk about things that he didn't witness or take part in, such as troop movements, etc. THere are pages where there's simply inconsequential information such as X battalion moved to Y river, and fought Z division... etc. Not what I was looking for in a biography. As well, the timeline of the book is very disjointed. The strong and emotional moments of the book are almost drowned otu by these serious flaws and I think the writer and editing team could have done a lot more to make it far more readable.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look into individual perspective, aviation, and North Korean history. There were a few abrupt transitions and some fairly technical language, but overall, a good read.

[L. Jin · Rating 4 out of 5]

昨天晚上，我读完了ERAU退休教授卢金锡的回忆录“米格-15通往自由之路”。起床后，我不经想起哈耶克的通往奴役之路的人生感悟。

An accidental combination of experience and interest will often reveal events to one man under
aspects which few yet see (Hayek, 1944, p. 2).

If in the long run we are the makers of our own fate, in the short run we are the captives of the ideas we have created. Only if we recognise the danger in time can we hope to avert it (Hayek,
1944, p. 2).