Even though the United States recently accepted 6 North Korean
refugees, marking a dramatic change in the situation of North
Korean refugees, nothing has changed for Choi Yong-hun, the South
Korean Huamanitarian aid worker.
He still sits in a jail cell in China, after having served 3
years and 4 months of a 5-year sentence. He is still being punished
for his attempt to help North Korean refugees in China.
Choi Yong-hun's wife visited him on April 26. The following
is a brief summary of her report.
My husband looked pale and had grown even thinner, indicating
his extended difficulties with life in the prison, but he smiled
when he mentioned that people call him "Mr. Missionary" in
the prison.
He never fails to read the Bible and pray every morning, believing
the God will help him. He also repeatedly mentioned how sorry
he was that he had been causing so much trouble to his family,
in addition to not being able to support his parents and family
members.
The meeting with Choi Yong-hun only lasted 30 minutes, and his
mother and I could not help but follow him with our tear-filled
eyes until he was led out of sight.
LFNKR urges you to send postcards or letters to the Shandong
Province Prison, letting the general manager know that the eyes
of the world are on him and on China's "justice" system.
For more details, refer to the report from Choi's wife (Aug.
2004) at this
link.
========== Start SAMPLE LETTER ==========
General Manager of Shandong Province Prison
Shandong Province Prison Office
163 Lishan Road
Jinan City, Shandong Province
China 250014
Dear General Manager of Shandong Prison:
I was shocked to learn that Mr. Choi Yong-hun, a South Korean
humanitarian aid worker, was sentenced to 5 years for his attempt
to help desperate North Korean refugees in China, and that he
is still incarcerated in your prison after serving 3 years and
4 months! It has already been widely recognized by international
society that the North Korean defectors into China are true refugees.
For example, the United Nations general assembly passed the resolution
on human rights on North Korea in November last year, and the
United States of America recently accepted six refugees from
North Korea while officially announcing that it will accept more.
Please immediately release Mr. Choi Yong-hun to show that China
respects human rights.
Your Signature:
========== End of SAMPLE LETTER ==========
