President Bush Meets Kang Chol-Hwan

The growing influence of the human rights constituency for North Korea showed itself yesterday when President Bush invited Kang Chol-Hwan, author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang, for a 40-minute meeting in the White House. One can’t miss the significance of the timing, so soon after Bush’s meeting with Roh. Reuters adds a comment from the White House:

“The president read the book, it is a compelling story. The president is very concerned about the human rights situation in North Korea,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

I first read Aquariums as a soldier in Korea several years ago, and it was one of the key persuasive forces that later inspired me to start this blog. I also briefly met Kang last year, though I found him reserved and reticent in social situations (like all of the North Koreans I’ve met). Still, the persuasive power of Kang’s story is undeniable, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants some basic understanding of North Korea’s gulag system.

One more personal note: last week, I was honored to have authored the North Korean Freedom Coalition’s letter to President Bush in advance of the Roh-Bush meeting, but the NKFC has asked me not to post the text for the time being.