Message from the Chairman

North Korea Freedom Day Rally (April 28, 2006)

Opening Remarks of Suzanne Scholte, Chairman

North Korea Freedom Coalition    

I welcome you all and I thank the Lord for listening to the cries of our hearts for the suffering of the North Korean people.  As many of you know this whole week has been devoted to North Korea Human Rights.  We have tried to accomplish two things in addition to standing up for the freedom, human rights and dignity of the North Korean people, and that was to expose for the first time in a Congressional  hearing the criminal activity of the Kim Jong Il regime and how this regime not only abuses the North Korean people but is also a drug trafficker and a counterfeiter and a rogue regime.  In a second hearing we wanted to accomplish for the first time a hearing that focused on the fact that Kim Jong Il does not just abuse the people of North Korea he also abuses the people of other countries including kidnapping Japanese citizens, South Korean citizens and citizens of other nations.  We were able to accomplish that yesterday during a congressional hearing.  This morning I am very  pleased to let you all know that President Bush met with several defectors from North Korea as well as Sakie Yokota. He met this morning with the Han Mee family,  he met with Kim Seung Min, the director of Free North Korea Radio and he met with Sakie Yokota, mother of Megume Yokota.

We are very encouraged by the responses that we have had from our government in raising the banner of the North Korea human rights issues.  As we have been saying repeatedly about the six party talks: “If Kim Jong Il will not allow the World Food Program to monitor our food aid, why do you think he will ever allow you to inspect his nuclear programs?”  Therefore,  the cry must be  human rights!  It must be the first thing on our agenda, on any agenda, in any discussion with North Korea.  That is what we are calling for today, as one voice, the voice of people of many faiths and many nationalities.

(Below) Photo from North Korea Freedom Day Rally, April 28, 2006: North Korea Freedom Coalition activists Yoshi Yamamoto, NKFC Vice-Chairman Rabbi Abraham Cooper, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea Human Rights Jay Lefkowitz, Japanese Shigeru Izuki with NKFC Chairman Suzanne Scholte holding the black armband worn by rally speakers stating "Silence is Death for North Koreans."