Grace Jo, Vice President of NKinUSA was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal

Grace Jo, Vice President of NKinUSA was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal about her life in the USA as well as her roles and activities of NKinUSA that helps the resettlement of North Korean refugees in the USA.

Jeff Glor of CBS Evening News Grace Jo, Vice President of NKinUSA

Jeff Glor of CBS Evening News Grace Jo, Vice President of NKinUSA about her starvation and suffering under North Korean regime.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/north-korean-defector-recalls-starvation-before-escaping-to-the-u-s/

newsletter from Suzanne Scholte

hello all

Suzanne Scholte has sent out another newsletter regarding activities in regards to North Koreans so just passing along.

SoonJa of NKinUSA is accepting any unwanted flash drives to format and install information to North Koreans telling them about the outside world.
you can contact her at the email below and she will get back to you.
soonja@nkinusa.org

also, i reccomend the book called "the accusation" written by a North Korean still living in North Korea.

 Dear Friends:

First up: I am pleased to share with you the link to the report on North Korea Freedom Week 2018: The Truth Will Set Them Free which is now posted on the North Korea Freedom Coalition website at
http://www.nkfreedom.org/nkfw/nkfw-2018/  Also, posted is the letter to President Donald Trump from the North Korean defector organizations regarding his planned meeting with Kim Jong Un.
http://www.nkfreedom.org/2018/04/28/letter-to-president-trump-from-north-korean-defectors/
And, you can also watch many of the events and sessions that occurred during NKFW 2018 as NKFC Vice-Chair Jason West recorded and posted them at www.nkfreedom.org

And now for some action items:

 For those in the DC Metro Area:
TOMORROW: Join us at 9 AM Friday, June 8 for the Victims of Communism Memorial for the annual Wreath Laying Ceremony: We will once again be representing the people of North Korea and laying a wreath to remember the millions of innocent men, women and children who have died because of the Kim family dictatorship.  It is very fitting on the days just before the Trump-Kim summit to remember that North Korea is one of five remaining dictatorships where the people continue to suffer and die under the tyranny of communism that has already killed over 100 million people worldwide.   Everyone is welcome to join us for this event.  Note for the media: Park Sang Hak of Fighters for Free North Korea and Grace Jo of NKinUSA will be attending the event and available for press interviews.  You can learn more here:
https://www.victimsofcommunism.org/events

For Everyone Where Ever You Are in the World:
Join us for Days of Prayer and Fasting for North Korea:  Our International Day of Prayer and Fasting during the first day of North Korea Freedom Week 2018 was so powerful we decided to set aside significant dates coming up to pray and fast  for North Korea’s FREEDOM this summer.   These dates have been set aside to pray and fast:
June 11th: to pray for the Turmp-Kim summit planned for the 12th in Singapore; 
June 25th: anniversary of the day North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 and the Korean War broke out;
August 15th: Korean Liberation Day; and
August 25th: anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK by Kim Il Song and the beginning of the Kim family’s reign of terror. 

As Rev. Thomas Belke, author of JUCHE, in his presentation to the US Congressional Briefing in January stated: fasting and prayer are the key to breaking the status quo impasse in North Korea.  Belke described our April 28th International Day of Prayer and Fasting as a Kingdom of God D Day Assault with people all over the world praying and fasting together for North Korea’s Freedom.  Now, that we have stormed the beaches, it is time to liberate the cities and the nation through prayer and fasting for North Korea’s FREEDOM.  Roxann Moss of Christians in Crisis will be updating our website April 28 website at https://www.april28.org/

The Bridge US is looking for North Korean defectors in the USA who are interested in entrepreneurship and microfinance. The Bridge has already successfully been helping North Korean defectors in South Korea to start their own businesses, and now they are expanding the project to the USA. Those of you who know North Korean defectors who are interested in business and looking for microfinancing opportunities, please have them contact Charry Lee at chanmi@thebridgetogether.com  You can learn more at the Bridge’s website at www.thebridgetogether.com

PSALT’s Backpack Project is Back:  PSALT is once again collecting items to help school aged North Korean refugees in the USA to be ready for school.  You can help PSALT with their backpack project by providing bulk items of 30 school supplies or toys by July 20th or donate online to help http://psaltnk.org.

No Chain Requesting More Flash Drives: You can help No Chain with its efforts to get information to North Korea by donating flash drives. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/NKNoChain/ for further information.  Note: Ji Soon Ja is collecting flash drives here in the USA and can be reached at soonja@nkinusa.org

For folks in Seoul:
Casey Lartigue of Teach North Korean Refugees: is seeking volunteer English tutors or speech coaches.    This is a wonderful way to help North Koreans in South Korea.  Learn more at:
http://teachnorthkoreanrefugees.org

Free North Korea Radio Update: Free North Korea Radio continues to be the most popular single hour of programming to North Korea, and once again ranked #3 in all radio stations in South Korea.   This remarkable achievement is because of the great partnership between the defectors in South Korea who produce the broadcast and American citizens and churches who pay for the shortwave transmission.  Because of the current situation in South Korea where the Moon government has promised North Korea’s dictator that they will stop information to North Korea, the defector led organizations like FNKR are going to need even more help in the days ahead.  It is vital to keep this award winning program on the air to spread the truth to North Koreans.  Please consider becoming part of this amazing partnership – you can learn more by visiting: http://www.defenseforumfoundation.org/free-north-korea-radio/

For your Summer Reading: The Accusation -- Now Also Available in Paperback: We have a few hard back copies remaining but more paperback copies of The Accusation  for your summer reading.  The only dissident book from North Korea, The Accusation was written by someone still living in the DPRK who uses the pseudonym BANDI, which means “Firefly” in Korean as he is shining a light out of the darkness of the DPRK.  He is North Korea’s Solzhenitsyn. If you would like to order a copy, donate $15.50 for paper back or $20.50 for hard back on line at www.defenseforumfoundation.org and will get you your copy right away!

ACTA NON VERBA,


Suzanne Scholte
Seoul Peace Prize Laureate
President, Defense Forum Foundation
Chair, North Korea Freedom Coalition
www.defenseforumfoundation.org
www.nkfreedom.org

Interview With a North Korean Refugee

I conducted a very short interview with a North Korean Refugee who now lives in Canada.

In order to keep the identity of this person anonymous, I cannot share a large portion
of the interview or include their name, date of birth or age.
However, the person allowed me to post and share two questions and answers
that were discussed in this interview.
Question: What was the one thing that you/your parents remember the most about life
in North Korea?

Response: “The most memorable thing back in the People's Republic was the Day of
the Sun celebration. General Kim Il Sung's birthday was on April 15th
so that was the day when everyone could celebrate and eat food.
I remember being full on these days.“

Question: How was schooling in North Korea compared to schooling in Canada?

Response: “School was surprisingly similar to school in Canada
except the fact that we had to learn about the Supreme Leader's Life.
We were expected to know Kim Il Sung's birthday
even though we didn't know our own grandfather's birthday.”

Question: Did both of your parents work when they were in North Korea?
If so, would you be able to tell me their occupations?

Response: “My father was a fisherman.
Most of his catch we had to sell so I was never "full".
However during the Sun Parade I remember going on my father's ship and
eating the catch he brought up.
We didn't need to sell as much on those days.”

Montgomery County Council member Craig Rice presented award to Grace Jo for her work with North Korean Refugees

Montgomery County Council member Craig Rice presented Grace Jo, Vice President of NKInUSA (North Korean Refugees in the United States) with a proclamation on behalf of the Montgomery Council recognizing her for her work with North Korean refugees and with NKinUSA, because NKInUSA is a non-profit organization founded by North Korean refugees for the human rights crisis in North Korea.

NKinUSA is working to raise awareness of the human rights crisis in North Korea, to help facilitate escape and safe passage for North Korean refugees, and to provide them with resettlement assistance in a third country including the United States of America.

President and Vice President of NKinUSA have given talks on several university campuses across in the United States

President of NKinUSA (North Korean Refugees in the United States),  Jinhye and Vice President Grace Jo have given talks on several university campuses across the United States about their personal experiences escaping North Korea and their own perspective on recent events on the Korean Peninsula:

On March 17, Jinhye participated in Georgetown THiNK’s annual conference, LIFE in North Korea.

On April 9, Grace spoke at an event at Harvard University sponsored by Harvard Human Rights in North Korea.

On April 13, Grace held a discussion, “Through the Haze” at GWU THiNK.

On April 16, Liberty in North Korea at University of Maryland College Park hosted a visit and talk by Grace.

And on April 22, Jinhye visited Emory University for an event co-hosted by Liberty in North Korea, Re’Generation Movement: Korea, and East Asia Collective.

George Washington University’s THiNK organization hosted Vice President of NKinUSA, Grace Jo

On Friday, April 13 in 2018 George Washington University’s THiNK organization hosted Vice President of NKinUSA (North Korean Refugees in the United States), Grace Jo, for a dinner and discussion on the North Korean human rights crisis. Leading the discussion, Grace Jo shared her own experiences as a North Korean refugee and the hardships both her and her family, as well as countless other refugees endured on their road to freedom.

Guided by questions from the audience, Grace detailed her experience under the oppressive North Korean regime. Students, scholars and other North Korean human rights activists alike asked questions regarding human rights, the inner workings of the Kim regime as well as North Korean public opinion inside the state. Grace shed light on the mindset of the people still living under the regime and her aspirations for their freedom as well.

Grace later highlighted the work she has done with NKinUSA (North Korean Refugees in the United States) in facilitating the rescue and resettlement of North Korean Refugees in the United States. Through raising funds, awareness and aiding in the relocation of these refugees, Grace along with NKinUSA, has made the safe resettlement of numerous North Korean Refugees to the United States possible.

At the end of the discussion Grace was given the opportunity to have some of her questions answered by audience members, where the conversation shifted towards the American perception of the North Korean refugee crisis.

This dialogue highlighted the need for a greater awareness of the issue from both policy makers and citizens alike. Grace’s firsthand account of life in North Korea, a narrative largely unknown to the global community, shed light on the importance of the fight for human rights in North Korea.