Scholarly Seminar at Chulalongkorn Univ.

On October 20, LFNKR participated in the international scholarly seminar titled "Human Rights Situation in North Korea" held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Hosted by the university's Faculty of Political Science, the seminar was attended by about 50 researchers, governmental experts, students, and NGO representatives.

To close the seminar, the Korean movie "Crossing" was screened for the first time in Thailand. Professor Surat Horachaikul (Political Science Faculty, Chulalongkorn University), who moderated the seminar, stated that he would continue holding the seminar to expand the international scholarly network centering around Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.

Attendees at the seminar all received the Thai language version of "Are They Telling Us the Truth?" the book published by The Association for the Rescue of North Korean Abductees, Chiangmai (ARNKA). This group was founded in 2005 by Mr. Tomoraru Ebihara (see notes below).

The English version of this book in PDF downloadable format is available from this website. Click here for excerpts and more information.

Thailand is attracting international attention, since it is the only Southeast Asian nation which remains a "sanctuary" for North Korean refugees desperately attempting to escape to safe third countries.

In addition, at least one Thai victim of abduction by North Korea has now been identified. Testimony in 2005 revealed that a Thai woman named Anocha Panjoy was abducted in 1978 in Macao. This eyewitness account came from Charles Jenkins, the American husband of Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga, both of whom were released from North Korea in 2005.

Thus, the role played by Thailand is growing increasingly important in international efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

 

Moderator & Sponsor of the event

Prof. Surat Horachaikul, Chulalalongkorn Univ., Faculty of Political Science
Prof. Horachaikul's blog

 

Mr. Tomoharu Ebihara, Founder of NGO The Association for the Rescue of North Korean Abductees, Chiangmai (ARNKA), Publisher of Thai language version of Are They Telling Us the Truth?, Japanese language lecturer at Payap University, Chiangmai

 

In addition, three speakers presented lectures followed by Q&A sessions

Professor Man-Ho Heo, Kyung Pook University, Director of Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights
Click here for more information

 

Dr. Takane Kawashima, Associate Professor of Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan
Click here to read speech transscript

 

Dr. Sadaki Manabe, Toyo Eiwa Women's University, Japan, Director of a Japanese NGO, the Investigation Commission on Missing Probably Related to North Korean (COMJAN)
Click here for more information

Read speech abstract

 

 

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