~You can't cross. -I've got cash... ~Oh alright go ahead.
LINK
Shin spent a lot of his first times outside of the camp stealing and copying other homeless people's lifestyles.
Shin met a farmer who lived just past the border who offered him a job. It is ridiculously easy to get past border security. They seem to accept most bribes.
Shin eventually worked his way up and found himself in the US working through a program to tell his story. Eventually he decided he wanted to move back to South Korea, despite concern of the North Korean government arresting him.