In the morning session, representatives of participating NGOs
spoke.
List
of NGOs
A prominent participant
during the three days was Tim Peters, founder of Helping Hands
Korea. On the
third
day
he addressed the lawmakers and NGO representatives. Peters gave an overview
of current difficulties and challenges on the ground, and offered practical
suggestions
and possible courses of action for the legislators present.
Transcript
of Tim Peters' Speech
Website
of Helping Hands Korea
Grace Yoon
spoke again, detailing her father’s
detention in China.
Transcript
of Grace Yoon’s speech
Information
on Grace's Father
LFNKR presented its resolution.
Text
of LFNKR resolution
A joint resolution was also approved by the member NGOs
Text
of joint resolution
Petitions were circulated urging the immediate release of two
South Korean aid workers now being held in Chinese prisons. All
attending lawmakers and NGO members signed the two petitions.
Petition
to free Choi Yong-hun
Petition
to free An Chung Hak
The afternoon session began amid much tighter security, when
the US Speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Dennis Hastert
appeared at the IPCNKR conference.
The group of parliamentarians issued both an Action Program
and a Joint Statement calling for the advance of universal human
rights in North East Asia and rights of North Korean refugees.
IPCNKR
Joint Statement
IPCKNR
Action Program
The final feature of the afternoon session was a second screening
of Seoul Train created by Jim Butterworth, with full Japanese
subtitles translated by LFNKR.
The screening
was followed by a speech from Jim Butterworth, the producer
and director of “Seoul Train.”
Text
of Jim Butterworth’s speech
Concluding the three-day event, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, at 6:30 PM, hosted a buffet party for all participants.
As you may
have noticed from this brief report, the conference saw a
number of important new forward steps in international
recognition of the North Korean refugee issue.
Kato Hiroshi
Secretary General
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees
