DFF Chairs North Korea Freedom Week To Promote Freedom and Human Rights for the North Korean People
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Once again the Defense Forum Foundation chaired North Korea Freedom Day which was first held April 28, 2004, and credited with leading to the unanimous passage of the North Korea Human Rights Act. In 2005, DFF expanded the day to include over a week’s worth of events and programs promoting the freedom, human rights and dignity of the North Korean people. Described as North Korea Freedom Week, the following events were held:
April 22: DFF Capitol Hill Forum with South Korean POWS Chang-Seok Kim and Chang- Ho Cho, who escaped from North Korea in 1995 and 2000. The Forum (detailed on page 9) entitled “Half a Century in the Hellish Nightmare: South Korean POWs Tell Their Story” was followed by a special wreath laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial in which the former POWs were greeted with spontaneous applause from the tourists who were visiting the memorial.
April 26-30: North Korea Genocide Exhibit Opens in the USA: Congressman Frank Wolf (VA), National Endowment for Democracy President Carl Gershman, Gretchen Birkle of the Department of State, Pastor Kwang-Ho Yang of the Korean American Church Coalition, Teruaki Masumoto and Yoichi Shimada of the Japanese Rescue Movement, Sin U Nam, Moon Gak Han and DFF President Suzanne Scholte participated in the opening ceremony of the Exhibit’s first visit to the United States.
The Exhibit, which opened in Seoul in November 2004, was organized by Moon Gook Han under the leadership and support of Sin U Nam, two of DFF’s closest colleagues on North Korea human rights efforts. It includes displays on the plight of North Korean refugees in China, political prison camps, starvation, Japanese and Korean abductees and other evidence of the horrific life for North Koreans under Kim Jong-il; the painting by Jean-Baptiste Oh “Death and Despair”; and satellite images provided by the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea.
As a result of a grant from Freedom House, the exhibit was able to travel to Houston and Midland, Texas, New York, and Los Angeles, and then back to South Korea.
April 28: First Anniversary of North Korea Freedom Day. DFF organized a full day of activities including the Washington, D.C. Premiere of the Award Winning Documentary Seoul Train depicting the plight of North Korean refugees in China. Hosted by the North Korea Freedom Coalition and held on Capitol Hill, there were two screenings of the documentary which featured Seoul Train producer Jim Butterworth. Senator Sam Brownback (KS) gave the welcome and introduction on the Senate side, while Congressmen Joseph Pitts (PA) and Trent Franks (AZ) gave the welcome and introduction on the House side.
At noon a Protest at the Chinese Embassy was held to stop China’s violent repatriation of North Korean refugees. DFF served as a co-representative for the protest along with Senator Sam Brownback, Congressmen Chris Cox (CA), Steve Israel (NY), Joseph Pitts (PA), Chris Smith (NJ), and Tom Tancredo (AZ).
Doug Anderson of the House International Relations Committee organized a Congressional hearing on the North Korea Human Rights Act that was co-chaired by Congressmen James Leach (IA) and Chris Smith (NJ). In the evening, Pastor Dong Soo Shin organized a Prayer Vigil hosted by Pastor Kangho Yang and the Fairfax Korean Church.
April 29: Peter Hickman hosted a National Press Club press conference with the North Korea defectors. DFF hosted a Capitol Hill Forum with the Exile Committee for North Korean Democracy (detailed on page 11).
April 30: A North Korea Human Rights Conference was organized by Jubilee Campaign and the Korean Association of Maryland with Ann Buwalda, Soon Kyung Hong, Edward Logan, Sin U Nam, and Dennis Halpin.