What’s really happening in North Korea right now? The regime’s pandemic border closures have left diplomats and aid workers outside the country, making it even more difficult than normal for the outside world to understand the Kim regime’s decision making and the daily lives of ordinary North Korean people. Join us for a discussion that goes behind the headlines to explore human rights and human stories in North Korea, with four renowned experts at the front lines of journalism and advocacy. Hear from: Eiji Han Shimizu, Director of the animated movie True North, Kim Young Hwan, Senior Researcher of NK Net, Ishimaru Jiro, Director of Asia Press Osaka, Eun Kyoung Kwon, Director, NK Net. This program is moderated by Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado.
Behind the Headlines: Human Rights and Human Stories in North Korea
Thursday, June 15, 2023 | 12 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Speakers:
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Kim Young-Hwan is a Senior Researcher at NKnet. He transitioned from being a key figure in the National Liberation student movement in South Korea to an advocate for human rights in North Korea in the mid-1990s. After becoming disillusioned with the North Korean system following two meetings with Kim Il Sung, Kim has dedicated his career to promoting human rights in North Korea. He has contributed to the establishment of South Korean civil organizations, including the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights and Daily NK. |
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Eiji Han Shimizu, is the creator of the animated film True North, which chronicles the horrors of North Korea’s political prisons. Born an ethnic Korean in Japan, he grew up learning about the tragic destinies of many Korean-Japanese families who migrated to North Korea in the 1960s-1970s. Some of his family friends are still missing due to successive political purges. Prior to TRUE NORTH, Shimizu produced the multi-award winning documentary film on happiness, entitled “HAPPY” (2011 USA), and published a series of graphic novels about the lives of legendary human rights advocates such as the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Gandhi (Penguin Books). He was a resident at TED in 2017. And since June 2021 he has been the proud father of a Japanese-American daughter. |
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ISHIMARU Jiro is the Head of the Asiapress Osaka office and head of the North Korea team. In July and August 1993, he journeyed 1,400 kilometers along the North Korea-China border. With three trips to North Korea and over 100 visits to the border area, he has interviewed more than 1,000 North Koreans. Recognizing the challenges faced by outsiders in accessing North Korea, he initiated a North Korean citizen journalism program in 2003, currently supporting 10 members working within the country. The Asia Press North Korea team has contributed news reports to prominent international networks, including Japan's NHK, Asahi TV, NTV, South Korea's KBS, MBC, the UK's Channel 4, Germany's ARD, and the US's CNN and PBS. |
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Kwon Eun-Kyoung is Director of the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights (NK Net). As the Secretary General of ICNK, she contributed to the establishment of the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) on North Korea. Since the COI report's release, she has been researching international mechanisms and North Korea's human rights situation to help implement the COI's recommendations. Her activities involve writing shadow reports for the CRC, CEDAW, UPR, and others, while also examining the exploitation system affecting North Koreans' livelihoods. |
