Monthly Archives: April 2007
2 Tons of Rice Distributed to Poor in Hamgyong
This report is by Kim Hong-son, one of LFNKR’s local staff members. He writes:
In February of this year, I passed through the Chinese customs office at Kosong and headed for North Korean customs. Passing through Chinese customs took a mere 30 minutes, but on the North Korean side it took over three hours. The reason for this is the North Korean customs inspection process, which begins with a verification of relatives living in North Korea, and involves a full-body search in addition to an inspection of the goods being brought into the country.
Report from a Refugee Who Made It Back
No One Said Fitting into Japanese Society Would Be Easy
Mr. Park went to North Korea with his family when he was four years old. The family went to Onson County in North Hamgyong Province, where they were assigned to a coal mining operation. Then, in 1999, he fled to China to escape the food shortages and starvation that had plagued the country throughout the 1990s. Park found, however, that life in China was very hard due to his illegal status. One employer made off with Park’s wages, leaving him without a single yuan and in despair.
International Protest Slated for April 28, 2007
To Save North Korean Refugees
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees (LFNKR) urges each person reading this to take part in the International Protest against China’s Violent Treatment of North Korean Refugees. This Protest, led by NORTH KOREA FREEDOM COALITION, is scheduled to be held all around the World on April 28. North Korean refugees who escape into China seeking food and freedom immediately encounter a new problem – the constant fear of arrest and repatriation by Chinese authorities.
Letter of Appeal to Prime Minister of Thailand
Protest of Extreme Overcrowded Conditions
Letter from LFNKR to the Prime Minister of Thailand.
26 April, 2007
Dear General Surayud Chulanont:
We, at Life Funds for North Korean Refugees(LFNKR), wish to convey our profoundest gratitude and respect to the people and Government of Thailand for humanitarian assistance extended to the North Korean defectors in Thailand in past years.
3 Orphans Freed
North Korean Orphans Walk Out of Jail
April 24th, 2:30 pm Laos time, the 3 North Korean orphans were released from the jail in Vientiane, Laos, and the consul accompanied them to the South Korean embassy in Laos. They appear to be out of danger of repatriation now that they are under the protection of the South Korean embassy.
We will give you more information as details become available. We at LFNKR wish to thank everyone for their wonderful generosity and kindness of spirit on behalf of these 3 children.
CNN Looks Inside a North Korean Escape Route
In exclusive footage aired April 15, 2007, CNN’s Dan Rivers gave viewers a look inside an ‘underground railroad’ used by North Koreans hoping to escape to South Korea.
This link takes you to a CNN video.
North Korea Freedom Week Slated for US Capital this April
From Suzanne Scholte, North Korean Freedom Coalition
Below is a list of the public events being held the week of April 22-29 to promote the freedom, human rights and dignity of the North Korean people. At the bottom of this page you will also find an invitation to Defense Forum Foundation’s Forum on Capitol Hill with North Korean Defectors on Friday, April 27. North Korea Freedom Week is just a few days away! Please help us promote attendance at these events by spreading the word.
3 NK Orphans’ Letters Released to News Media
North Korean Orphans Plead for Help
The three letters quoted below were written by three desperate North Korean children who are now in the Vientiane Jail in Laos. They are very aware of the risk of repatriation back to North Korea. The letters show their anger and their confusion over the situation but at the same time, reveal how desperate they are with their appeal for help.