Event: North Korea Freedom Week 2012

If you are in Korea, you might want to check out some of the activities associated with North Korea Freedom Week 2012. The schedule, courtesy of Suzanne Scholte:

Dear Friends:

In just a few days, the 9th annual North Korea Freedom Week 2012 will begin in Seoul.  I am pleased to report that for the first time there will also be a simultaneous North Korea Freedom Week in London!  More information on NKFW is below with schedules for Seoul and London, but I want to respond first to the many emails about the news reports regarding China's decision to stop repatriating North Korean refugees and share other news.

North Korean Refugees in China: There have been several news reports that China has stopped the repatriation of North Korean refugees.  We suspect this may be China's way of indicating its displeasure with North Korea over its latest provocation with the failed rocket launch.  Even if it is true, China could begin repatriating refugees again at any time and this may indicate they are simply using them as leverage with North Korea.  So, for us, until there is an announcement by the Chinese government that they have changed their repatriation policy and will work with the UNHCR and the government of South Korea on this issue,  the campaign for the refugees must continue!  If you have not yet sent an appeal to the Chinese government that they stop this brutal and inhumane policy, please consider doing it right away.  Anyone can go here to find the contact information for the Chinese embassy in their country here:  http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/2490/

There will be daily demonstrations for the refugees in Seoul this coming week.

In addition, we are asking American citizens to please contact your U.S. Representative in support of the Congressional Resolution for the North Korean refugees sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith.

Please ask them to join as a co-sponsor to H.Con. Res. 109 Expressing the sense of Congress that the People's Republic of China should not repatriate North Korea refugees. If you do not know your U.S. Representative, you can find him/her right here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

You can see the full text of the Resolution here: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.CON.RES.109:

HRNK's Hidden Gulag Conference and Latest Report: The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea held an outstanding conference last week on North Korea's gulag.  For those of you who were not able to attend, the latest update to the Hidden Gulag report published by HRNK and written by David Hawk is available on line here: http://hrnk.org/wp-content/uploads/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Final_Web_v4.pdf

9th Annual North Korea Freedom Week 2012: The 9th annual North Korea Freedom Week will kick off this Sunday in Seoul, while a simultaneous North Korea Freedom Week will also occur in London.  Many of the events in Seoul are being led by North Korean defectors who had participated in the NKFW during the first six years it was held in Washington, D.C.  Kim Seung Min of Free North Korea Radio assembled an amazing team of both South Korean leaders and North Korean defector NGOs to plan these events.  In solidarity, Joo il Kim of the North Korean Residents Society in Europe has also planned events in London. The complete schedules for both events are reprinted below.

Acta Non Verba,

Suzanne Scholte

North Korea Freedom Week2012 Schedule (April 22^nd to May 1^st)

(SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA)

Schedule is posted on website http://cafe.naver.com/nkfw/243,

NKHR Photo Exhibit – FNKR: Duration of NKW2012

Reading of the list of names of abductees – KFWAFU: Duration of NKFW2012

NK Defectors’ Proclamation Event hosted by 4 major NGO NK Broadcasters, at Wonpyo Park: Duration of NKFW2012

NKD Youth Coalition’s ‘Putting Up NKFW2012’ Posters at major universities: Duration of NKFW2012

Press Conference in front of Chinese Embassy regarding Forced Repatriation – Congressperson Park Sun-young : Everyday 2pm