FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Press Contact: Jerry
Dykstra
April 25, 2008 Tel: 616-915-4117
NKFC Contact: Jane
Yang
Tel: 571-212-2136
Additional major
A delegation of twenty-one North Korean defectors, the
largest ever to participate in NKFW since its inception, will testify and speak out publicly about the
atrocities of the Kim Jong-il regime and the plight of refugees who flee
"The North Korean people are the most persecuted in the world," said Suzanne Scholte, Chairman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, "But, because we cannot see the suffering with our own eyes, we ignore it. Having these brave defectors speak and give eyewitness testimony is one of the most critical aspects of North Korea Freedom Week."
Among the organizations deeply involved in the week's events are Open Doors which is spearheading a lobby campaign for legislative initiatives aimed at promoting human rights in North Korea, while the Peterson Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, PSALT, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and its Task Force on Religious Freedom, the Korean American Church Coalition for North Korea Freedom, and the Defense Forum Foundation are organizing panel sessions, forums, briefings and prayer services throughout the week to address human rights concerns in North Korea.
As a testament to the importance of North Korea Freedom
Week, the producer of the soon-to-be-released movie Crossing, Patrick Cheh,
will show a special screening of this movie that is scheduled for theatrical
release in
North Korea Freedom Week is an annual event organized by the North Korean Freedom Coalition. A complete list of NKFW 08 events follows below. For more information, please visit www.nkfreedom.org.
April 25, 2008
Dear Friends:
I am pleased to send another update on the events confirmed
for
So, remember wherever you are in the world, join the
April 26 events and if you can, attend the events of
Warm regards,
Suzanne Scholte,
Saturday, April 26: 11 AM Music by the Pyongyang Musical Mission Troupe and the Seoul Presbyterian Church Praise Band; 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm -- International Protest vs. China's Violent Repatriation of North Korean Refugees around the world at the PRC embassies and consulates, there will be protests, demonstrations and prayer vigils against China's ongoing and brutal repatriations of the North Korean refugees. Note that times and events will be different for different cities, so be sure to contact the city coordinator(s).
For
Host Organization:
Contact: Pastor Heemoon Lee at heemoonlee@hotmail.com, Sin U Nam at sun@nkparchitects.com or Suzanne Scholte at skswm@aol.com
2:00 pm Special Walk from the Chinese Embassy to the Embassy of South Korea to honor and welcome the new President of South Korea
Host Organization: KCCNK
contact: Sam Kim at skim@kccnk.org
Sunday, April 27:
International Day of Prayer for
April 27th has been declared an International Day of Prayer
for
Host Organization: Global Justice Prayer Network
Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Location:
Website: http://www.globaljusticeprayernetwork.com
Contact: Robert Park at letjusticerolldownlikewaters@gmail.com
7 pm –
This will be a special prayer service in which everyone is
invited to participate. Prayers for both
North and
Location:
Host Organization: PSALT and MDCN (a young adults group representing 80 Korean churches)
Host Contact: Michelle at michelle@psaltnk.org
Monday, April 28:
(Anniversary of the
first
Two special screenings of Crossing with the movie's producer, Patrick Choi, and director, Kim Chang Gyun -- this is the first feature film to deal with the refugee crisis in North Korea with a star studded cast including one of South Korea's most popular actors; it is scheduled for theatrical release in South Korea in June but the producer and director agreed to show a special screening during North Korea Freedom Week.
3-5 pm Special Screening of Crossing
Location: Mary Pickford Theater, 3rd Floor of the Library of
Congress,
Host: Congressman Trent Franks with the film's producer, Patrick Cheh
**INVITATION ONLY,
RSVP REQUIRED due to limited seating**
Congressional RSVP:
Tina Ramirez at Tina.Ramirez@mail.house.gov
Non-Congressional
RSVP: Sin U
6-8 pm Special
Screening of Crossing
Locaton: Ebenezer's Coffee House,
Host: Sin U Nam of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, Crossing producer Patrick Cheh, and Mr. Choi Eung-Pyo of the Korean American Freedom Fighters Movement
RSVP: Sin U Nam at sun@nkparchitects.com
Tuesday, April 29:
10:30 am Demonstration by Youth for Truth of what
is happening to the North Korean Refugees in
Location:
Host: Nancy Purcell and the Youth for Truth: Chinese police officers played by Taylor Purcell and Noah Taylor and North Korean refugees played by Taliah Kurylak (mother) and Silas and Jed Taylor (children)
11:00 am Concert and 12:00 noon Capitol Hill Rally for
North Korean Human Rights and to Save the Refugees:
Music by the
Members of Congress, NGO leaders, and North Korean defectors will be speakers at the rally.
Location:
Host organization: North Korea Freedom Coalition and the Korean American Church Coalition for North Korea Freedom
Contact: Jane Yang at jane.e.yang@gmail.com or Suzanne at skswm@aol.com
Visits to Senators
and Congressmen for
Immediately after the rally, participants will be divided by states and go together to visit their Senators and Congressmen to gain support for specific legislative actions to help the North Korean people and the refugees. Each group will have a guide to help and Open Doors is preparing information for all participants.
Registration Highly Recommended at Open Doors website: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/416/1/
Location: Capitol Hill Senate and House offices
Host Organization: Open Doors
Contact: Lindsey Vessey, Advocacy Director, Open Doors, at LindsayV@odusa.org
3:30-5 pm Briefing on
Location: 2255
Host: Congressional Human Rights Caucus Task Force on Religious Freedom, Co-Chairs Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Congressman Trent Franks
Contact: Tina Ramirez at Tina.Ramirez@mail.house.gov or Cassandra Young at Cassandra.Young@mail.house.gov
Wednesday, April
30: 10-11:30 am: Panel Discussion on North Korean Refugees Focusing on Two
Reports: “Migration Experiences of North Korean Refugees: Survey Evidence from
Location: The Peterson Institute,
Host Organization: The Peterson Institute for International Economics
Contact: Marcus Noland, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute at mnoland@petersoninstitute.org
2:30-4 am Panel
Discussion: Making the World Safer...for Kim Jong Il
Location:
Host Organization: American Enterprise Institute
Contact: Megan Davy at MDavy@aei.org; press contact: VRodman@aei.org
4:30-6 pm: Capitol
Hill Screening of On the Border,
the recent documentary focusing on the human trafficking on the China-North
Korea border produced by the Chosun Ilbo with leading international
broadcasters. On the Border is
Location: 2255
Host Organization: Congressional Human Rights Caucus
Contact: Hans Hogrefe at HansJ.Hogrefe@mail.house.gov
Thursday, May 1: 11:00 am Morning Press Conference: Senator Sam Brownback, Congressman Frank Wolf, Members of Congress, and former North Korean Refugees to release Congressional letter to Hu Jintao to save the North Korean Refugees; Activists for Tibet, Burma, Darfur and others persecuted by China's policies will be part of the event and all are welcome and encouraged to join.
Location: The Senate Swamp across the street from
Contacts: Julie Kim at Julie_Kim@Brownback.Senate.Gov and Elizabeth Hoffman at Elizabeth.Hoffman@mail.house.gov
Press contact: Brian Hart (Brownback) at Brian_Hart@Brownback.Senate.gov and Dan Scandling Dan.Scandling@mail.house.gov
TBD Piano Recital with North Korean defector Kim Choel Woong
Location: TBD
Host: The Honorable David J. Kramer, Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Sponsors: US Committee for Human Rights in
Friday, May 2:
12 noon -- Capitol Hill Forum Honoring the North Korean Defectors
Forum is especially for Congressional staff, but open to the public
Registration Required to participate and fee of $30 for lunch (email RSVP to skswm@aol.com)
Location:
Host Organization: Defense Forum Foundation
Contact: Suzanne Scholte at skswm@aol.com
INTERNATIONAL
CONTACTS CONFIRMED FOR THE
NOTE OLYMPIC TORCH IN
If your city or country is not listed, let us know if you would like to be the coordinator.
Petition delivery to Chinese embassy and consulate in
Host Organization: Council for Human Rights in
Contact: Kyung B Lee at kbl9282001@yahoo.co.kr
Host organization: Human Rights Without Frontiers
Contact: Willy Fautre at w.fautre@hrwf.net
Host Organization: Japanese Coordinator for the NKFC
12:00 noon protest in
for
also at 6:30 pm at Suginami Sangyousyoukoukaikan at Meeting speaker Kan Ando will address
Human Rights Abuse in
for
Host Organization: Open Doors
Contact: MarianneB@opendoors.nl
PHILLIPINES
Day of Prayer for North and
Host Organization: HallelyYAH Prophetic Global Tower Foundation
Contact: Sister Catherine Azada-Amaca at 777@halleluyahpg.com
Host organization: 444 Campaign
Contact: Jy
Host Organization: Open Doors/UK planning demonstration on April 26 visit their website for updates!
Website:www.opendoorsuk.org
Contact: Alice Jones at alicej@opendoorsuk.org
UNITED STATES -- locations at Chinese consulates, embassy unless noted otherwise:
Host Organization: KCCNK
Contact: Sam Kim at skim@kccnk.org
Host Organizations: Open Doors and The Korean Americans for
Contact: Gail Bielitz at HoustonWOW@aol.com and Casey Youn at youn@weeco-international.com
Host Organizations: Korean American Patriotic Action Movement and Open Doors
Contacts: Tom Byun at volcano21c@hotmail.com, Youngsohk Choe at yohngsohk@yahoo.com, or Lindsay Vessey at LindsayV@odusa.org
Host Organization: PSALT
NYC PRAYER RALLY
& PROTEST DEMONSTRATION 12- 3 pm
Location: West side of
Contact: Henry at hyun@psaltnk.org
Host Organization:
Contact: Sam Kim at skim@kccnk.org
Host Organization:
Contact: Pastor Heemoon Lee at heemoonlee@hotmail.com, Sin U Nam at sun@nkparchitects.com or Suzanne Scholte at skswm@aol.com
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