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Save North Korean Refugee’s Day Report 2022

Organized by the North Korea Freedom Coalition

Activists Worldwide Call on Xi Jinping:
Stop Repatriating North Koreans

Dear Friends:

You cannot imagine the looks of sheer joy on the faces of the hundreds of North Korean escapees and South Korean human rights activists gathered near the Chinese embassy in Seoul in late September when we announced:  activists all over the world are sending appeals to Chinese embassies and consulates representing 18 countries and 55 cities! It meant so much for them to know that so many people care — and are willing to act — for the North Korean refugees in China. This Save North Korean Refugees Day 2022 was especially critical because we are running out of time as at least 600 children, men and women face the grave danger of repatriation once the border opens between China and North Korea – it is expected to happen soon. The following is a report prepared by Johnny Park to recognize these heroes and heroines all over the world that joined in solidarity for Save North Korean Refugees Day this year! We also thank Johnny and Teresa Ost for serving as our International Coordinators and helping prepare letters for our city and country coordinators.

For the refugees, we must continue to do all we can to advocate for their safe passage to the Republic of Korea but want to take the time to recognize these wonderful folks by name and countries below!

We also want to recognize these 22 former U.S. government officials who represent every U.S. presidency since Richard Nixon who have faithfully joined our advocacy appeals to the Republic of Korea for the past several years to show the United States’ solidarity and bipartisan support for action to save these refugees:  Richard V. Allen (Reagan and Nixon), Thomas Barker (Bush), Roberta Cohen, (Carter), John Despres (Carter, Reagan, Clinton), Chuck Downs (Bush), Felice Gaer (Obama and Bush), Chadwick R. Gore (Trump and Bush), Ambassador Robert G. Joseph (Bush), Ambassador Robert R. King (Obama), Jay P. Lefkowitz, (Bush), Ambassador Winston Lord, (Ford, Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton), Barton W. Marcois (Bush), Honorable Tidal W. McCoy (Reagan), Ambassador J. William Middendorf (Nixon, Ford, Reagan), Thomas C. Montgomery (Bush), Andrew Natsios (Bush), Daniel Pipes (Reagan), Eric Schwartz (Obama and Clinton), Gare Smith (Clinton), Ambassador Katrina Lantos Swett (Obama), Ambassador Morse Tan (Trump), and Christian Whiton (Bush, Trump).

Acta Non Verba,

Suzanne

Suzanne Scholte

Continue reading “Save North Korean Refugee’s Day Report 2022” →

Save North Korean Refugees Day 2022

Dear North Korea Freedom Coalition Members and Friends:

Where in the world will you be on Friday, September 30th? 

Please consider taking part in Save North Korean Refugees Day by Mailing or Emailing a letter to Xi Jinping:  In Solidarity with the North Korean defector NGOs and South Korean human rights leaders who are organizing the 19th annual North Korea Freedom Week, Friday, September 30th has been designated as the date for our annual Save North Korea Refugees Day.  We are inviting everyone to participate that day by mailing or emailing a letter to Xi Jinping requesting that the PRC allow safe passage to the North Korean children, women and men currently being detained in Chinese detention centers for entering China illegally.  All we are asking is for China to honor its international treaty obligations and allow these refugees safe passage out of China. That is all.

Here is all you need to do to participate:

1) Find the PRC embassy or consulate that is in your jurisdiction at this link:

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjb_663304/zwjg_665342/

2) Send a letter of appeal by mail or email to Xi Jinping at that address on or before Friday, September 30th  We have several sample templates you can use at nkfreedom.org.

Letter Templates

And, if you are willing to share…

3) snap a picture or you and your letter and send via email to johnnypark (at) defenseforumfoundation.org.

Continue reading “Save North Korean Refugees Day 2022” →

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)   

South Korea’s Refugee Policy in the Yoon Administration: A New Openness to International Standards?

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on “South Korea’s Refugee Policy and the Yoon Administration: A New Openness to International Standards?” 

Hosted by:

Christopher H. Smith
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC

James P. McGovern
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Witnesses

  • Jong-Chul Kim, Esq. Senior Researcher, Advocates for Public Interest Law
  • Ethan Hee-Seok Shin, Ph.D., Legal Analyst, Transitional Justice Working Group
  • Moon Jun Sohn, M.D., Ph.D., Director, We All Friends (NGO), Professor, Neurological Surgery, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University, Korea
  • Suzanne Scholte, Ph.D., Seoul Peace Prize Laureate and Chair, North Korea Freedom Coalition
  • Kennji Kizuka, Associate Director, Research & Analysis, Refugee Protection, Human Rights First

Bios

Continue reading “South Korea’s Refugee Policy in the Yoon Administration: A New Openness to International Standards?” →

March Action Items for North Korea’s Freedom and Human Rights

Dear Friends: 

Some action items for your consideration and some great news to report!  First up, please consider joining the following events.

Acta Non Verba,

Suzanne

Join the Team Organizing the International Day of Prayer and Fasting for North Korea to be held April 27/28th

The anniversary of the very first North Korea Freedom Day is coming up next month on April 28th to mark the largest gathering for North Korea human rights that had ever occurred outside the Korean peninsula.  That day approximately a thousand people from all over the USA rallied on Capitol Hill on April 28, 2004, with North Korean defectors and South Korean, Japanese, and Canadian human rights activists.  That day was cited as the pivotal moment that led to the passage of the North Korea Human Rights Act that Fall.  We are once again marking that day as an International Day of Prayer and Fasting for North Korea’s freedom.  We expect this to be the most important day of the year as we will also hold an interactive prayer session on April 27th 7-8:30 pm(EST)/April 28th 8-9:30 AM (Seoul) to pray with North Korean defector pastors.  Thank you to the team forming so far: Anna Yang on global website, Alana Johnson on preparing prayers for the day, Johnny Park on translations.  Helping prepare for the interactive prayer service are Pastors Chang Ho Lim and Kang Chul Ho and Kim Seong Min is helping confirm North Korea defectors who are now pastors representing every province of the DPRK. Jason West is helping with the platform, and I am working on overall service and hope to get Dr. Thomas Belke to join us as he believes this is the most important thing we can do for North Korea.  Everyone will be invited to participate, but anyone wishing to help on planning, please let me know. This would include help reviewing prayers, plans, translations, etc.

North Korea Freedom Day 2004

It is Time to go to Seoul!! North Korea Freedom Week May 22-28, 2022

It was confirmed by the North Korean defector leaders that the 19th annual North Korea Freedom Week will be held May 22-28th in Seoul.  You may recall we decided to have NKFW 2022 in May because of the critical South Korean election this month.  So. please consider joining the delegation from the USA — or from wherever you are — to travel to Seoul to support the people of North Korea and everyone working for their freedom and human rights.  More details will be forthcoming, but please mark those dates on your calendar.

DPRK exhibit and posters to foster hate for Americans.

Reporting on a Very Special Broadcast to North Korea

Finally, some great news to report: we had wonderful participation by Members of the U.S. Congress in our special messages that we broadcast to North Korea for Seollal on Free North Korea Radio.  This program has become very popular among our FNKR listeners in the DPRK as a powerful way to show the people of North Korea how much we care about them.  Despite the steady anti American propaganda they are fed starting from childhood and throughout their lives that we are their enemy, through this program they learn the truth of how much Americans are concerned about them.

We want to acknowledge and profusely thank Senators John Barasso of Wyoming, Chris Coons of Delaware, Ted Cruz of Texas,  Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jim Risch of Idaho, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Representatives Steve Chabot of Ohio, Young Kim of California,  Doug Lamborn of Colorado, Alan Lowenthal of California, Michael McCaul of Texas, Gregory Meeks of New York, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Maria Salazar of Florida, Chris Smith of New Jersey, and Rob Wittman of Virginia for their powerful messages that were broadcast to the people of North Korea for the year of the Tiger.

Save North Korean Refugees Day 2021 Acknowledgements

Dear Friends

Please find attached the acknowledgements to those who participated in last month’s Save North Korean Refugees Day 2021.

Despite everything going on in the world these days, I am ever more optimistic and hopeful our petitions and appeals will be heard thanks to the people listed in this report who have continued to speak out on behalf of the North Korean refugees wherever they are in the world.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Acta Non Verba,



Suzanne

SNKRD-2021-ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-FINALDownload

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

“Mr. President, You Did Nothing”

한국어

March 31, 2021

The Chosun Ilbo

Dear Mr. President: In October of last year, I wrote an open letter to you published by Chosun Ilbo on October 21, 2020, appealing for urgent help to save the lives of North Korean women, men and children currently detained in China’s detention centers. I was appealing to you to do something that every previous South Korean president including Dae Jung Kim has done since the North Korean refugee crisis began: save Koreans from certain torture, certain imprisonment and possible death.  I pointed out that it was a “golden opportunity” for you to do this because Kim Jong un’s fear of COVID had led the regime to close its border and refuse to accept North Koreans that China wants to forcefully repatriate back to face certain horror. It was a great opportunity for you to ask President Xi Jinping to show humanitarian compassion and allow them safe passage to the Republic of Korea, thus relieving the burden on China. 

But you did nothing.

Then, that appeal was followed up by letter sent to you on November 2, 2020, signed by twenty former U.S. government officials representing every U.S. Presidency since Richard Nixon who wrote: We urge your administration to seize the moment to reach out to the People’s Republic of China, as South Korean administrations have quietly and very successfully done in the past, to ask for humanitarian consideration for the North Korean women, men, and children currently detained in the PRC and request they be allowed safe passage to the Republic of Korea or a third country.”

Believing you would do the right thing, that November 2, 2020, letter was not released publicly. 

But you did nothing. 

Now, I learned today that two young beautiful Korean women held in Chinese detention centers since September 2020, have been released — not to South Korean authorities, which they had requested, but to their abusers. The Chinese police gave them back into the hands of the Chinese men who had bought them, as they were victims of human trafficking. Thus, because of your inaction, they were released into the hands of those who had enslaved and abused them.

They just wanted to go to South Korea and no longer be slaves.

All you needed to do was to ask that these Korean women be released to South Korean authorities. 

This happened because you did nothing. 

You turned your back on these two women and hundreds of others, but will you continue to do this for those still being detained in China? Among the group still in detention are Christians and those trying to reunite with family in South Korea, two crimes punishable by death in North Korea. Thus, they face execution if Chinese authorities force them back to North Korea.

I understand that you are Catholic. If you will not consider these requests for help for these North Korean refugees currently detained, would you at least consider Proverbs 24:11-12– “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this, ‘does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?– which clearly calls on you to rescue those being led away to death and cautions you as well that if you knew and did nothing, you will be repaid for what they have done. As I wrote before, because your family was rescued (during the Korean War), you had the great opportunity to be able to choose your own path and thrive in the Republic of Korea to be elected to its most important political office, President. Now, you are the person with the most authority in the world to act to protect the lives of these refugees and make it possible for them to have the same opportunities. 

There is still time. Please act. You know fully well that Hanawon has lots of room to accommodate these women, men, and children. 

Suzanne Scholte

This article was originally published in Korean by The Chosun Ilbo.

Continue reading ““Mr. President, You Did Nothing”” →