Former Street Child Refugee Re-visits Japanese Rescuers
At the end of October, O.C., one of our former North Korean foster children, came to visit us again after 20 years! We met at a Korean restaurant in Tokyo, where we held a party to celebrate the wonderful surprise reunion.
Statement of Protest Against Russia’s Forced Transfer of Ukrainian Citizens
Although we are mainly engaged in the support and advocation of North Korean refugees and North Korean human rights, LFNKR has agreed with three North Korean human rights groups based in Japan to issue the following statement of protest against Russia’s human rights abuses.
Statement of Protest Against Russia’s Forced Transfer of Ukrainian Citizens
Sept. 30, 2022
Korea Human Rights Network
NO FENCE
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees
The Society To Help Returnees To North Korea
In a video address to the Asian Leaders’ Summit in Seoul, South Korea, on July 13, President Zelensky charged that since the invasion, Russian forces have “forcibly transferred some 2 million Ukrainians, including hundreds of thousands of children, and tens of thousands of Ukrainians are being held in select Russian camps.” He said that “those deported have been deprived of communication, had their identity papers taken away, are being intimidated, and are being taken to the Russian frontier, making it difficult for them to return to their homeland,” and made a strong appeal to the world for help for their own people.
Why No Reports on NK Refugee Rescue Activities
Last month, the United Nations announced the appointment of Elizabeth Salmon as the new UN special rapporteur for North Korean human rights. This signifies official recognition that the North Korean human rights issue has not yet been resolved. Further, many of those familiar with the situation feel that conditions have actually worsened for the people of North Korea.
Basic Report on Human Rights Conditions in North Korea
On Feb. 16, Hiroshi Kato, Executive Director of LFNKR lectured on the abuse of human rights in North Korea in response to an invitation by the Working Team for Enhancing Human Rights Diplomacy and International Contribution of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Based on the UN human rights report on North Korea 2014, Mr. Kato’s talk covered the specific human rights abuses still going on in North Korea according to actual experiences of North Korean defectors interviewed by LFNKR. So far, LFNKR has helped over 200 North Korean defectors to reach the destinations where they wished to resettle, including in Japan.
North Korean Refugees in Russian Detention Center
Here is an update regarding a number of North Korean refugees in whose rescue we have been participating.
Two of these North Korean refugees that had been imprisoned in the Vladivostok Foreigner Detention Center were released recently and arrived in Moscow two days ago. They had already applied for refugee status, but the Russian court had refused to recognize their refugee status, and thus they had been imprisoned in the foreigner detention center for two years.
South Korean Government invalidates aid worker’s passport
South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, has a reputation as a human rights lawyer. He seems, however, to be allowing repatriation of North Korean defectors fleeing from serious human rights violations in North Korea without giving them any protection or adequate consideration.
NGO activists and Christian missionaries who work to protect North Korean defectors who have fled to China are working in China without fear of being monitored, arrested, detained, and deported from China. However, the South Korean government has taken measures to revoke or to refuse renewal of the activists’ passports, claiming that they are undermining national credibility. As a result, the South Korean government is putting pressure on human rights activists, and is selling out to the Chinese government. We at LFNKR dare not fail to point out the non-humanitarian, inhumane acts of the South Korean government.
The following is our summary of an article in Chosun Ilbo on Feb. 1, 2022.
South Korean Government invalidates passport of businessman imprisoned in China for helping North Korean defectors, claiming “damage of national prestige.”
On Feb. 1, it was confirmed that the South Korean government invalidated the passport of a South Korean businessman, “Mr. A,” and restricted its re-issuance, saying that he “damaged national prestige and committed illegal smuggling acts.” Mr. A was arrested by Chinese security authorities for helping North Korean defectors in China and served time in prison.
True North, the Film
On Dec. 4 this year, LFNKR and several other human rights related NGOs hosted the 2021 North Korea Human Rights Film Festival.
During the Film Festival several movies were screened, including director Eiji Han Shimizu’s “True North,” the 2020 Annecy Festival officially selected film.
“True North” focuses on Yohan, who, at age nine, is forcibly relocated with his mother and sister to a notoriously cruel political prison camp in North Korea.
10th year challenge
Everybody is well aware of the current situation all around the world. Because of today’s circumstances, we at LFNKR are, like so many other organizations, being seriously impacted. Our rescue activities have been drastically curtailed. Since the border between China and North Korea has been completely closed for over a year, rescue operations for North Korean defectors waiting in China have been indefinitely suspended. Meanwhile, however, we are delighted to report on the great success achieved by one of our North Korean defector couples. We were involved in their rescue and their resettlement in Japan. In the following article the wife tells about the couple’s experiences.
10th year challenge (by K. M.)
It feels like it was just yesterday that we escaped from North Korea and came to Japan, but it’s been 10 years now. Anyone over 40 will know this feeling – that the years have flown by.