Dedicated Christians from President Bush’s Home Town Confront South Korean Apathy Over Human Rights in North Korea

The Midland Ministerial Alliance is not really a newcomer to the movement for human rights in North Korea, but the journey of a group of them to Seoul–and to the center of the spotlight–is. They have proven their influence over President Bush on Sudan, and they are shifting their focus to North Korea. Perhaps that explains why the South Korean government agreed to meet with them. What I wouldn’t give to see the discomfort in that room.

Members of the Midland Ministerial Alliance, a network of more than 200 churches in the city, are in Seoul this week seeking support for their latest push for improved human rights in the communist North.

“North Korean human rights will be the primary focus that we encourage the community here to actively engage in, to use their influence, and to not rest until the lives of North Koreans have changed for much better,” alliance spokeswoman Deborah Fikes told South Korean lawmakers Friday.

The Alliance is inviting Kang Chol-Hwan back to Midland in August.

Meanwhile, we have yet another reaction from North Koreans on Kang’s visit to the White House. In contrast to the gushing praise the visit received from defectors, the North Koreans who share the big reviewing stand are less positive:

The defector’s visit to Washington has drawn ire from the North, whose official news agency Thursday called Kang “human trash” and said Bush speaking to him was an “act of throwing a wet blanket on the efforts to resume” the nuclear talks.

If those talks have any chance of success, it will be fear of the Ceausescu Scenario that creates it. Kang’s words, as Pyongyang knows, could add greatly to the pressure to isolate the North Korean regime rather than purchasing more of its costly lies.