North Korea Freedom Week Slated for US Capital this April
From Suzanne Scholte, North Korean Freedom Coalition
Below is a list of the public events being held the week of April 22-29 to promote the freedom, human rights and dignity of the North Korean people. At the bottom of this page you will also find an invitation to Defense Forum Foundation’s Forum on Capitol Hill with North Korean Defectors on Friday, April 27. North Korea Freedom Week is just a few days away! Please help us promote attendance at these events by spreading the word.
Below are also links to flyers (in PDF downloadable format) for the North Korea Genocide Exhibit and for the Washington, DC participation in the International Protest Against China’s Violent Repatriation of North Korean Refugees.
- North Korea Genocide Exhibit – Flyer
- Please Help Us – Flyer
Remember, these protests will be occurring all across the USA at Chinese consular offices (Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.) as well as in other nations.
So, even if you cannot be in Washington, D.C. next week, you can make a difference by going to the nearest Chinese embassy or consular office at noon on Saturday, April 28.
The crisis regarding the North Korea refugees is escalating. China’s cruel policy is spreading to other nations and we must stand together wherever we are in this world against this brutality.
Warm regards,
Suzanne Scholte
North Korea Freedom Coalition
http://www.nkfreedom.org
| North Korea Genocide Exhibit | |
| Date: | Monday, April 23 – Thursday, April 26 |
| Time: | Open Daily 9 am to 5 pm; Special Ribbon Cutting at noon Tuesday, April 24 |
| Location: | Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse near Union Station 201 F Street, NE, Washington, DC |
| Organizers: | Sin U Nam, Moon Gook Han, Nathan Hill |
| Sponsor: | International Coalition to Save the North Korean Slaves |
| Panel – Failure to Protect: A Call to the UN Security Council to Act on North Korea | |
| Date: | Monday, April 23 |
| Time: | 2:00 – 3:30 pm |
| Location: | DLA Piper 1200 19th Street, NW, Washington, DC |
| Organizer: | Debra Liang-Fenton |
| R.S.V.P | hrnk_org@hotmail.com |
| Sponsors: | U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, DLA Piper |
| Panel – INFORMATION IS POWER: The Future of Radio Broadcasting into North Korea |
|
| Date: | Tuesday, April 24 |
| Time: | 9:30-11:30 am |
| Location: | Freedom House Ballroom 1319 18th Street NW, Washington DC (Dupont Circle Metro Southside) |
| Organizer: | Jessica Barnes |
| R.S.V.P. | By April 20 Barnes@freedomhouse.org |
| Speakers: | Kim Seung Min, Director, Free North Korea Radio Ambassador Mark Palmer, Freedom House John Fox, I-Media Blanquita Cullum, Broadcasting Board of Governors Libby Lui, Radio Free Asia Jay Henderson, Voice of America |
| Sponsors: | Freedom House Broadcasting Board of Governors Free North Korea Radio |
| VIP Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: North Korea Genocide Exhibit |
|
| Date: | Tuesday, April 24 |
| Time: | 12:00 noon |
| Location: | Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse 201 F Street NE (near Union Station) |
| Organizers: | Sin U Nam, Moon Gook Han, Nathan Hill |
| Speakers: | Congressman Ed Royce Hong Soon-Kyung, Chairman, NK Defectors Assoc. & Vice-Chairman, Exile Committee for NK Democracy (ECNKD) Huh Kwang-il, President, Defector’s Association Planning for Unification Teruaki Masumoto, Secretary General, Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea Prof. Yoichi Yamada, Japanese Rescue Movement |
| Sponsor: | Int’l Coalition to Save North Korean Slaves |
| Panel: Who’s Afraid of North Korean Regime Collapse? | |
| Date: | Tuesday, April 24 |
| Time: | 3-5 pm |
| Location: | American Enterprise Institute 1150 17th Street NW, Wash. DC, 20036 |
| Organizers: | Nicholas Eberstadt, Chris Griffin |
| Speakers: | Nick Eberstadt, AEI Tom Malinowski, Human Rights Watch Bruce Bechtol |
| Sponsor: | American Enterprise Institute |
| Congressional Hearing on China’s Treatment of North Korean Refugees & Humanitarian Workers | |
| Date: | Wednesday, April 25 |
| Time: | 10:30 am |
| Chaired by: | Congressman Tom Lantos |
| Sponsor: | Congressional Human Rights Caucus |
| Panel on Religious Persecution in North Korea | |
| Date: | Thursday, April 26 |
| Time: | 3-5 pm; panel followed by a reception |
| Location: | The National Press Club Holeman Lounge 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC Reception to be held in 1st Amendment Room |
| Organizer: | Lindsay Vessey |
| R.S.V.P. (Required) |
By April 13 With Name, Title, Organization lindsayv@odusa.org |
| Speakers: | Michael Cromartie of USCRIF Congressman Trent Franks NK Defectors, now church leaders Eom Myong-Heui Sung Gyu Lee Carl Moeller, CEO & President of Open Doors |
| Sponsor: | Open Doors |
| Capitol Hill Lunch Forum Featuring Visiting North Korean Defectors | |
| Date: | Friday, April 27 |
| Time: | 12:00 noon |
| Location: | B-339 Rayburn House Office Building, Capitol Hill |
| Organizer: | Suzanne Scholte |
| R.S.V.P. (Required) |
by COB April 26 skswm@aol.com |
| Admission: | $30 (lunch included) |
| Speakers: | Leaders of all NK Defector-led NGOs including Hong Soon-Kyung Huh Kwang-il Kim Seung-Min Kang Chul Hwan Ahn Hyok Park Sang Hak And Special Guests: Phillip Buck Choi Yong Hun Teruaki Masumoto |
| Sponsor: | Defense Forum Foundation |
| Special Prayer Service for North Korea and the North Korean Defectors | |
| Date: | Friday, April 27 |
| Time: | 7 pm |
| Location: | The Falls Church 115 East Fairfax St., Falls Church, VA 22046 http://www.thefallschurch.org |
| Organizer: | Pastor Heemoon Lee NKFC Prayer Committee PSALT |
| Sponsor: | North Korea Freedom Coalition |
| International Protest Against China’s Violent Treatment of North Korean Refugees | |
| Date: | Saturday, April 28 (North Korea Freedom Day Anniversary) |
| Time: | 11:30 am Music Program starts at 12:00 noon |
| Location: | PRC Embassy 2300 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC PRC embassies and consulates around the world |
| Organizers: | PSALT (New York / New Jersey) Gail Beilitz (Houston) Lindsay Vessey and Tom Byun (Los Angeles) Paul Davis (Chicago); Sin U Nam, Jeff Park, James Ham, Pastor Heemoon Lee, Suzanne Scholte (Washington, D.C.) Marianne Bruning and Annechien Weening (Netherlands) Willie Fautre (Brussels) Abraham Lee & Peter Jung (Seoul) |
| Sponsor: | North Korea Freedom Coalition Open Doors International Campaign to Block the Repatriation of NK Refugees |
INVITATION
DEFENSE FORUM FOUNDATON
CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE AND FOREIGN POLICY FORUM
TO:
DEFENSE & FOREIGN AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS
SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEE STAFF AND OTHER FRIENDS
FROM:
Ambassador J. William Middendorf, II
Suzanne Scholte, Chairman, DFF President
and
Congressman Ed Royce (CA-40th), Honorary Congressional Host
LUNCHEON TOPIC:
Promoting Freedom and Human Rights for North Korea
SPEAKERS:
North Korean Defectors
As part of North Korea Freedom Week, North Korean defectors who lead organizations in South Korea advocating freedom and human rights for North Korea will discuss their work and what can and should be done to help the North Korean people.
During lunch, forum attendees will be seated with defectors and have the opportunity to visit informally and then a program will include brief presentations and commentary.
North Korean defectors confirmed to participate include:
- Hong Soon-Kyung, chairman of the North Korean Defectors Association and Vice Chairman of the Exile Committee for North Korea Democracy (ECNKD);
- Kim Seung Min, director, Free North Korea Radio;
- Kang Chul-Hwan, Park San Hak and Lee Min Bok founders and representatives of the Democracy Network Against the North Korean Gulag;
- Huh Kwang-il, president of the Defector’s Association Planning for Unification;
- Kang Hak-Sil, representative of the North Korean Refugee Women Solidarity for Human Rights,
- Eom Myong-Heui and Lee Sung Gyu, church leaders of the North Korean church
- And others.
WHEN: Friday, April 27, 2007, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm
WHERE: B-339 Rayburn House Office Building, Capitol Hill
RSVP REQUIRED (ACCEPTANCES ONLY):
If planning to attend, please RSVP by email toskswm@aol.com or by phone to 703-534-4313 by noon, Thursday, April 26th to attend this forum.
PLEASE NOTE: A question and answer session will follow the speaker’s remarks.
COST: No charge to Members of Congress or Congressional Staff.
A $30 fee is requested from all others to cover the cost of the lunch. Due to Congressional rules, check must be received prior to the lunch to DFF, 3014 Castle Road, Falls Church, VA 22044.