Category: nkfw

North Korea Freedom Week 2022 Acknowledgements

No More Korea Slaves of the Kim Regime
No More Political Prisoners
No More Separated Families
No More Kim Jong Un Dictatorship
All Koreans Free: Let Us Lead the Way

Dear Friends:

It is a great honor to present to you the acknowledgements report for the 19th Annual North Korea Freedom Week prepared for you by Johnny Park.

The reactions felt by participants in NKFW 2022 throughout the week can be summed up as follows:

NKFW 2023: Pyongyang!

Seriously, you could feel this great sense of purpose and commitment among the North Korean defector leaders and the South Korea activists who helped organize this year’s NKFW. Despite the hostility and great repression, the human rights cause and these North Korean escapees endured during the Moon administration, these men and women would not lose hope, but remain resolved. There was this sense that everything could change very quickly if they could just get the support they needed to accomplish their objective: the peaceful unification of Korea as a liberal democracy. We emphasized throughout the week the importance of saving the North Korean refugees in China, calling for the release of all those being held against their will in North Korea, and re-launching what had been a most successful information campaign by land, by sea, by air. Kim Heung Kwang, the NKFW Task Force Chair, summed it up best: “each event was done to the highest quality.”

NKFW 2022 had more media coverage than ever before and our annual Save North Korean Refugees Day had more cities involved than ever before. The success of the week can be attributed to all the folks listed in the following pages who took part in this year’s events.

Acta Non Verba so we can have NKFW in Pyongyang,

Suzanne

Suzanne Scholte
Chair, North Korea Freedom Week 2022

Continue reading “North Korea Freedom Week 2022 Acknowledgements” →

19th North Korea Freedom Week

제19회북한자유주간

Press Release

This year marks the 19th anniversary of the North Korea Freedom Week (NKFW), which was declared in April 2004 by the North Korea Freedom Coalition, a leading U.S. North Korea human rights group, and both national and international North Korean defector organizations.

The NKFW is a movement for North Korean defectors to topple Kim Jong Un’s dictatorship, which has inflicted intolerable suffering on the North Korean people, and to liberate them, who have been living as spiritual slaves of Kim Jong Un.  
The NKFW, which started with the slogan of “Free North Korea” in the open space of Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on April 28th, 2004, has been set for every last week of April as our week of action, but this year, due to COVID-19 and the South Korean presidential election, it is set from September 25th to October 1st.  

Below, you will find the NKFW schedule (chart). We ask for your interest and media coverage.  

보도자료 

2004년 4월 미국의 대표적 북한 인권단체인 ‘북한자유연합’과 국내외 탈북단체 탈북민단체들에 의해 선포된 ‘북한 자유 주간’이 올해로 19회 차를 맞고 있습니다. 

‘북한 자유 주간’은 북조선 인민들에게 말할 수 없는 고통을 들씌운 김정은 독재정권을 무너뜨리고, 김정은의 정신적 노예로 사는, 북조선 인민들을 해방하기 위한 탈북민들의 북한 자유화 운동입니다. 

2004년 4월 28일 미 상원의 북한인권법 통과를 촉구하며 워싱턴 의회 공터에서 외쳤던 ‘자유 북한’의 구호가 발단이 된 ‘북한 자유 주간’은 매해 4월 마지막 주를 행동 주간으로 정해왔지만, 올해는 코로나19와 한국의 대선 관계로 9월 25일부터 10월 1일까지로 정해졌습니다. 

아래에 이 일주일간의 일정(표)을 소개하면서, 관심과 취재 부탁드립니다. 

The 19th North Korea Freedom Week Schedule of Events

Saturday, September 24 

7 pm Organization Heads Meeting Before Dinner [Key Supporters from Korean, Japanese, and U.S. Delegations]

Host: Kim Seong-min, NKFW Preparatory Committee, Koreana Hotel Coffee Shop, 135, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul 

Sunday, September 25 

10 – 12 pm Special Service for the Successful NKFW

Host: Pastor Kang Chul-ho, Sae Teo Church 
Location: Sae Teo Church (5th Floor, 6-23, Mokdongnam-ro 4-gil, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul)

2 – 3 pm Flower Dedication Ceremony for Freedom Heroes

Host: Choi Jung-hoon, NK Liberation Front
Location: War Memorial of Korea (29, Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul) 

7 – 9 pm The 19th NKFW Music Concert

Host: Rev. Lawrence Lee, Suzanne Scholte, and Pastor Sung Sang-mo
Location: Hi-Seoul-Youth-Hostel (57, Yeongsin-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul)

Monday, September 26 

2 – 3:30 pm The 19th NKFW Opening Ceremony

Host: Huh Kwnag-il, The Association of North Korea Human Rights Organizations 
Location: Foreign Reporter Club, Seoul Press Center 18th Floor (124, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul) 

4 – 6 pm Forcible Repatriation of North Korea Defector, “Special Press Conference on False Murder Confession Fact-Finding Committee”

Host: Kang Chul-hwan, North Korea Strategy Center 
Location: Foreign Reporter Club, Seoul Press Center 18th Floor (124, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul)

7 – 9 pm Seminar on the North Korea Salvation Unification Gospel

Host: Lee Yong-hee, Esther Prayer Movement 
Location: 5, Beodeunaru-ro 14 ga-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

Tuesday, September 27 

10 – 12 pm Press Conference on Requesting for the Prompt Establishment of North Korea Human Rights Foundation

Host: Kim Tae-hoon, Corp. North Korea Human Rights
Location: Press Conference Room, Seoul Press Center 19th Floor (124, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul)

 2 – 4 pm Denunciation of the North Korean Government’s Terror Threats against North Korean Defector Activists, “Listening to the Voices of North Korean Defector Organization Heads Calling for the South Korean Government’s Response”

Host: Choi Jung-hoon, NK Liberation Front 
Location: Conference Room (7), the National Assembly  (1, Uisadang-daero, Yeongdeunpo-gu, Seoul) 

Wednesday, September 28 

AM Yongsan Executive Office Visit (Expected) 

       Meeting with the Minister of Unification (Expected)

      Meeting with Amb. Lee Shin-ah (Expected) 

5 – 7 pm Forum for New Media Information Utilization for the Promotion of North Koreans’ Right to Information

Host: Kim Heung-kwang, NK Intellectual Association 
Location: KTX Conference Room, Seoul Metro Station 4th Floor (405, Hangang-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul) 

Thursday, September 29 

10 – 12 pm Accusation of Repatriation of Korean-Japanese to North Korea and Human Rights Violations

Host: Ahn Chan-il, International North Korea Research Center 
Location: Conference Room (2), the National Assembly (1, Uisadang-daero, Yeongdeunpo-gu, Seoul) 

1 – 3 pm Strategic Discussion on Hwang Jang-yop’s Observation on Liberal Democracy and the Democratization of North Korea

Host: Huh Kwang-il, CDNK
Location: Conference Room (6), the National Assembly (1, Uisadang-daero, Yeongdeunpo-gu, Seoul)   

4 – 7 pm Tasks and Roles of North Korean Defector College Students for the Liberation of North Korea

Host: Lim Chang-ho, NKHRD
Location: State Room, The Koreana Hotel 7th Floor (135, Sejong-daero, Jung-gun, Seoul)

Friday, September 30 

9 – 12 pm One Korea International Forum (Korean, Japanese, and English simultaneous translations will be provided) 

Host(s): Global Peace Foundation, NKFC, Action of Korea United, One Korea Foundation, Korea of All, and International Solidarity for North Korea’s Freedom of Religion and Faith
Location: Press Conference Room, Seoul Press Center 19th Floor (124, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul)

2 – 4 pm Protest against the CCP’s Forcible Repatriation of North Korean Refugees

Host: NKFC, The Association of North Korea Human Rights Organizations, and The National Association of North Korean Defectors 
Location: The PRC Embassy (Myeongdong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul) 

5 – 7 pm Evening Prayer Service for the Salvation of the People of North Korea

Host: Pastor Lee Phillip, Yeolbangsam Church 
Location: Yeolbangsam Church (3rd Floor, 28, Gocheok-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul) 

Saturday, October 1 

10 – 12 pm The 5th Memorial Ceremony for Freedom Fighters/Information Campaign of North Korean Defector Organizations (Talk Show) 

Host: Jang Se-yul, NKPLF
Location: Sae Teo Church (5th Floor, 6-23, Mokdongnam-ro 4-gil, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul)

5 – 7 pm Let’s Have the 20th NKFW in Pyongyang! (The Night for the NKFW Supporters) 

Host: Kim Heung-kwang, The NKFW Steering Committee
Location: Foreign Reporter Club, Seoul Press Center 18th Floor (124, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul)   

North Korea Freedom Week 2021 Acknowledgements

Dear Friends: 

On behalf of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, it is my great honor and pleasure to provide you the full report on the 18th annual North Korea Freedom Week whose theme this year was “Open! North Korea: Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Borders.”  Please find attached the acknowledgements of the many folks and many organizations that participated to make the week a huge success so that we could accomplish our objective: rejuvenate and inspire the defector community in the Republic of Korea, who are living under an oppressive atmosphere, AND gain valuable insight from them about what is happening in North Korea.  We set out to inspire the North Koreans and they ended up inspiring us with the amazing information they are getting out of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and by their pledge to re-commit themselves to the freedom of their homeland and the human rights and dignity of the North Korean people.  Just a few links and highlights for you below, but PLEASE check out the full attached report which includes the opening ceremony, prayer vigil, visit to the ROK embassy, day of prayer and fasting, etc. and all those who participated this year especially the North Korean eyewitnesses. 

Volunteer members of the North Korea Freedom Coalition made both video and written transcripts for you of the main NGO events in both English and Korean – so you can read or watch the powerful sessions that were held during North Korea Freedom Week 2021.  Special thanks goes to Jason West who helped with the technical platform, so that we could all be together virtually during the NKFW panel sessions and the North Korea Freedom Coalition meeting, which was open to the public for the first time.  Thank you to the Defense Forum Foundation, Katrina Lantos Swett and the Tom Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice, Wendy Wright and Christian Freedom International, Dr. Pavel Klein and the Isabella Foundation, and Seung-il Shin for donating to cover the platform costs.  Katrina and I also serve as officers with the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, whose Executive Director, Greg Scarlatiou, provided inspiring remarks for the opening Ceremony along with other distinguished NGO leaders. Thank you also to Jason for helping prepare the videos and transcripts and to our wonderful translators and volunteers Helen Park, BJ Choi, Teresa Ost, and Johnny Park for helping create English and Korean transcripts of the following NGO panels: 

Open Hearts: hosted by Nick Eberstadt and Olivia Schieber of the American Enterprise Institute, with Colonel David Maxwell of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies:
https://www.nkfw.org/history/2021/open-hearts

Open Minds: hosted by Bruce Klingner and Olivia Enos of the Heritage Foundation:
https://www.nkfw.org/history/2021/open-minds

Open Borders: hosted by Dr. Pavel Klein of the Isabella Foundation:
https://www.nkfw.org/history/2021/open-borders

We are also very grateful to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Tony Blinken for the very powerful statement that was made by the U.S. State Department to recognize North Korea Freedom Week on the anniversary of the first North Korea Freedom Day:

https://www.state.gov/on-the-occasion-of-north-korea-freedom-week/

Also, you will love this video: Anna Yang took excerpts from the messages from Members of the US Congress that were broadcast on Free North Korea Radio for this year’s Seollal Holiday and produced a special video with the background music Edelweiss (Bless my homeland, forever!) that was played at the opening ceremony.  The North Korean defectors were so moved by this video showing how much Americans care about the people of North Korea, that they copied it onto flash drives and have been sending it secretly by various means into North Korea since last month:

Now, on a very sad note, since North Korea Freedom Week, members of the South Korean military intercepted some of these flash drives and — because of the new law in South Korea banning information to North Korea — turned them over to the South Korean police which have launched an investigation into the defectors who sent the messages.  So, we will see if defectors get fined and jailed for sending powerful, inspiring and hopeful messages by U.S. lawmakers to the people of North Korea.  Did I mention the “oppressive atmosphere” in South Korea?  Oh yes, I did.

Please be inspired by the attached report as we work to open the hearts and minds of the people of North Korea with truth and long for the time when the borders will be open.  Also, finally note the next meeting of the North Korea Freedom Coalition will be Thursday, July 29th 7 pm EST — if you are not a member yet, you can join here.

Acta Non Verba,



Suzanne

North-Korea-Freedom-Week-2021-AcknowledgementsDownload

North Korea Freedom Week is Next Week!

Please Join Us for the 18th Annual North Korea Freedom Week 2021

OPEN! NORTH KOREA… Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Borders

Dear Friends:

I am pleased to invite you to join the 18th Annual North Korea Freedom Week which will be held April 25 – May lst, 2021/(April 24-30 for DC Scheduling).  Details below include the links to participate in events during that week for and with North Korean escapees.  Translation will be provided for all NGO sponsored events.

Sunday, April 25 (Saturday night in USA) and Monday (Sunday in USA) opening prayer service and opening day in Seoul which folks in the USA will be able to watch virtually.

Remember those of you sending virtual messages of encouragement,  we will need them by close of business this Thursday, to translate and prepare for our friends in Korea.

Monday, April 26, 5-7 pm EST (Tuesday, April 27 6-8 am in Seoul): Discussing the theme of Open hearts…will be Nicholas Eberstadt and Olivia Schieber of the American Enterprise Institute who are hosting several high ranking North Korean escapees for a discussion of the human rights situation in North Korea…and the human rights situation in South Korea.  They will be joined by David Maxwell of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.  Topics to be explored will be ways to reach the elites in power to open their hearts to the truth and why that has become more difficult under the current government in South Korea. To register for AEI’s Event Open Hearts visit:https://www.nkfw.org/registration/open-hearts.

Wednesday, April 28:   April 28th is the anniversary of the first North Korea Freedom Day, and thus once again we will set aside an International Day of Prayer and Fasting for North Korea’s FREEDOM.  Alana Johnson is compiling powerful prayers that will be posted for all online who want to join us in prayer that day.  Anna Yang has created this website where you can sign up now to join at https://www.april28.org.

Wednesday, April 28th: 5-7 pm EST (Thursday, April 29 6-8 am in Seoul): Discussing the theme of Open minds…will be Bruce Klingner and Olivia Enos of the Heritage Foundation who will host two panel sessions: one with North Korean escapees explaining what led them to escape, ie. what opened their minds to the outside world, was it K-pop, movies, radio broadcasting, soap operas, leaflets, and then a second session will feature North Korea defector NGO leaders who have been leading efforts to open more minds by getting information into North Korea through brilliant methods utilizing the land, the sea and the air.  To register for the Heritage Foundation’s Event Open Minds visit: https://www.nkfw.org/registration/open-minds.

Wednesday, April 28: 7-9 pm EST (Thursday, April 29 8-10 AM in Seoul ): Discussing the theme of Open borders…will be Dr. Pavel Klein of the Isabella Foundation who will host a session on the current state of the vulnerable population especially children in North Korea and how can humanitarian assistance be provided to address this population.  North Korean escapees will address those issues as well as explore ways to open borders so that divided families can reunite and be in communication with each other.  To register for the Isabella Foundation’s Event Open Borders visit: 
https://www.nkfw.org/registration/open-borders.

Thursday, April 29 7-9 pm EST (Friday, April 30 8-10 am in Seoul): For the first time ever, the North Korea Freedom Coalition will open its regular meeting to the general public for a free for all exchange on action items going forward for the freedom, human rights and dignity of the North Korean people, as the NKFC’s motto is Acta Non Verba.  We will hear from the top leaders among the defectors working for peaceful regime change and ways that we can work to save the lives of North Korean refugees currently in peril. 

Friday, April 30, 12 noon EST On Friday there will be a closing ceremony (Saturday morning in Seoul), so for those of us in Washington, D.C. area, the North Korea Freedom Coalition will organize a peaceful vigil at 12:00 noon on Friday, April 30 to focus on the lives of the North Korean refugees currently detained in China and the two women recently given back to their abusers.  As noted previously, we usually demonstrate at the PRC embassy, but things are different right now: these North Koreans would be in South Korea right now if Moon would act.  So, we plan to assemble at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea this time and peacefully and respectfully ask for action on their behalf. To join the A team and take a stand for these refugees, email me.

Please join us for NKFW 2021 whenever you can from wherever you are.

Acta Non Verba,


Suzanne Scholte
Seoul Peace Prize Laureate
President, Defense Forum Foundation
Chair, North Korea Freedom Coalition

17th Annual North Korea Freedom Week 2020

The corona virus cannot stop North Korea Freedom Week!    

Although we are unable to send delegations to Seoul for the 17th Annual North Korea Freedom Week which will take place April 26-May 2, 2020, in South Korea, I am pleased to share with you that sessions will be posted on YouTube hosted by North Korean defector leaders each day discussing important topics AND everyone around the world is invited to watch online but also join with us in solidarity for a day of prayer and fasting for the people of North Korea on April 28th.  The sessions are generally scheduled for 9 am KST (Korean Standard Time)– so folks in the USA would watch the evening before and sessions will be in Korean, of course. 

For the April 28th day of prayer and fasting, we posted the photos and short bios of 9 key people in authority in the DPRK for special prayers in these times of uncertainty.   Our NKFW theme is The Restoration of North Korea that the land once known as the Oriental Jerusalem would be freed from the demonic oppression under which its people suffer and be restored to God, so that North Koreans can live with freedom, human rights and dignity.  Hence, we hope that folks around the world would join us in unity to pray for the freedom of North Korea and specifically pray for a change of heart in these 9 key leaders especially on the historic day of April 28th.

Visit NKFW.org For More Information and the Schedule

Continue reading “17th Annual North Korea Freedom Week 2020” →

North Korea Freedom Week 2019 Acknowledgements

  • NKFW Press Conference
  • Opening Church Service
  • Wreath Laying Ceremony
  • Visit to David’s Tent
  • CSIS – Women and Market Mechanisms in North Korea
  • Institute on Religion and Democracy Reception
  • Heritage Foundation – Bridging the Policy Gap Between North Korean Human Rights and Security Threats
  • Korea Freedom Alliance Dinner
  • Radio Free Asia Visit
  • Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Staff Briefing
  • AEI – Troubling Changes in the South Korean Government in Their Treatment of North Korean Defectors
  • FRC and the Isabella Foundation – From Orphanages to Escape, An Update on the Current Situation faced by North Korea Orphans
  • Human Rights Abuses Against the DPRK Military
  • North Korea: What are The Prospects for Regime Change from Within?
  • Protest against China’s Repatriation of North Korean Refugees
  • Petition for President Moon Jae In delivered to the Republic of Korea Embassy
  • Petition Delivered to the Chinese Embassy
  • Candlelight Vigil for North Korean Refugees at the PRC Embassy
  • Delegation Dinner hosted by Gina and Alan Price
  • Farewell Dinner
North Korea Freedom Week 2019 AcknowledgementsDownload