Freedom House VI: Media Roundup
Update: Welcome Instapundit readers!
I started this blog after leaving the Army–including four years in Korea–to practice law in Washington. This blog exists to tell the story of what is happening to the North Korean people, and to remind America and the world of what happened the last time we paid Dane Geld to Kim Jong Il–North Korea walled out the world, squandered its treasury on weapons it had just agreed to give up, and intentionally starved two million of its people to death. Kim Jong-Il’s regime may well have killed more of its own people than any since the fall of the Khmer Rouge, and our money may have helped him do it. North Korea’s is the first regime since Nazi Germany alleged to kill political prisoners in gas chambers. Its democidal character must be a central part of our diplomatic calculus. We must not overlook the natural allies that can help us overcome this evil–the North Korean people themselves.
If you want to get politically involved in helping the people of North Korea, check out Liberty in North Korea and the North Korea Freedom Coalition. Two excellent and highly reputable charities that support North Korean refugees are the Family Care Foundation /Helping Hands Korea and Life Funds for North Korean Refugees. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is also very active in lobbying to keep human rights issues on the negotiating table. Help us put the “N” back in “Never Again!”
Original Post: The media coverage was good, overall. The Chosun Ilbo got the facts mostly right and wrote a good summary of what took place. What emerges from the piece, and what hadn’t occurred to me before, is that Kang was never a dissident in North Korea, but became one in South Korea–a damning irony to be sure. It also ran this story to put the facts in the context of the greater human rights picture on North Korea.
The Dong-A Ilbo managed to do all of that in one single story–it was factually accurate and added context by actually knowing the subject matter ( full disclosure: the reporter claims to be an OFK regular. Thanks, man). The Korea Times and Herald were asleep. The Joongang Ilbo’s story was short on facts, mainly noting the absence of senior U.S. officials. In fact, Condoleeza Rice didn’t cancel; she considered attending but never did agree to do so. Given that she has a sham negotiation to prepare for, I don’t fault her.
(On the other hand–to digress for a moment–the Joongang Ilbo redeems itself with a story on what could be the year’s most delicious irony: North Korea selling missiles to Taiwan. If confirmed, the result could turn into the diplomatic equivalent of Tessio in the passenger’s seat, asking Michael to spare his life “for old times’ sake.” You know how that one ended, right?)
The most astonishing coverage goes to Reuters, which is widely reviled among American conservatives for its perceived liberal bias (a perception I share at times), but which gave the conference and its press fair but favorable coverage. It said less about Sharansky than other speakers at the conference, but in fact, Rabbis Cooper and Saperstein were both more articulate. The AP’s story was probably the most detailed accounting of the conference.
Japanese interest in North Korean human rights issues is running high, and Kyodo’s correspondent is also a regular at these functions. The focus, unsurprisingly, is Japanese, but there’s nothing inaccurate or unfair in the story.
The Washington Post and New York Times were asleep.