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Calling Bob King

I haven’t seen any news coverage about Korean-Americans protesting against Xi Jinping over China’s policy of sending North Korean refugees to gulags and firing squads.  China has never been known for its great sensitivity to public opinion, of course, so I also have to wonder if Vice President Biden’s “frank discussions” with Xi, during the latter’s visit, included any mention of a large group of North Korean refugees — various reports number them at 21, 29, or 33 souls — who are about to be sent back to a grim fate in North Korea.

Anyone heard from Bob King this year?

An informed source on North Korean affairs said, “Considering recent cases, chances are high that North Korean defectors who are repatriated will be sent to the Susong political camp in North Hamgyong Province, the toughest one among all concentration camps in the North. Others could be executed in their hometowns to serve as an example of prosecution.”  [Dong-a Ilbo]

That would be this camp, images of which have never been published anywhere else, to my knowledge.

Fortunately, about 100 people in Seoul have staged a protest, which I suppose is something. I’m at least four years past the point of wondering when South Koreans, who are hardly immune to outrage for various perceived affronts, will ever care much about the North Korean people.

[Update:   Sorry about that bad link.  Fixed.]

9 Responses

  1. i hope Bob King resigns and carries his title with him to some high-paying consulting gig…stfugtfo

    on a related note, there was a chance that the u.s. religious freedom envoy might have spoken to xi jinping about religious freedom issues in china (in which case north korean refugees should have been covered since they are in the china section of the annual reports), but that didn’t happen either:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/chinese-blocked-visit-by-us-religious-freedom-envoy-advocates-say/2012/02/14/gIQAmvQxDR_story.html

    fat chance that this administration would raise any of these issues any time in the near (or distant) future.

  3. Quick heads up, your link to the camp site is broken. It says “camp/25”, should say “camps/25”.

  4. Related to the last paragraph: there certainly is immense missionary work to be done to cause those in free Korea to harken to the plight of their kin in the North. To that end the “Until the Day” UTD Mission Conference was held in Leipzig, in eastern Germany, February 2 through February 4. About seventy church-going Koreans gathered from Korea, America, and Europe to worship, listen to testimony, and demonstrate. Led by pastors Peter I. Sohn and John M. Song, our long days began at 6 AM at the Nikolaikirche in central Leipzig for an hour of worship. This is the church at which in 1981 monthly prayers for the end of the communist regime began, led by Pastor Christian Fuehrer, who was one of those who testified before us. Another German speaker was Gerda Ehrlich, who has for years led demonstrations monthly before the DPRK embassy in Berlin. A colleague of hers also testified. The polizei of the municipalities concerned were very helpful, as on the afternoon of one day we snaked through the shopping district of Leipzig, and on the last day, of Berlin, ending up at the DPRK embassy. Many Germans joined us in our demonstration there.

    The road to free Pyongyang has begun in Leipzig. Much more will be done in Seoul in August, towards which the arduous preparations necessary have begun. We are smitten by this thought: when Korea is one again, what will we say to our northern brothers and sisters when they ask: “What did you do for us during the long night of our despair?” We must have an answer for them of which we are not ashamed. Our efforts are recorded at utdtimes.com.

  6. Not sure we’ll find many Korean-Americans in Iowa, but if Xi Jinping thinks he can slip into the Staples Center Friday night to watch the Lakers without any incidents then that should be the easiest venue to send a message. Hopefully the game will also be televised live in China, and then other leaders in Beijing will be watching if the Vice President has courtside seats next to Jack Nicholson. I believe there are plenty of Korean-Americans in Los Angeles, but anyone can join the fun.

    So if you have tickets for the Lakers-Suns game, then below is the Chinese sign that you’ll want to bring to the Staples Center: the front says “Welcome Xi Jinping to Los Angeles” and the back says “Don’t send refugees back to North Korea”. Enjoy the game, and good luck getting both sides of your sign seen by Xi Jinping and/or China’s national television audience.

    (front)
    欢迎习近平
    來洛杉矶

    (back)
    別把脫北者
    送回朝鮮

  7. FYI, “Stop NK Refugee Execution” petition being circulated…6,000 signatures so far. Pls join this and any other efforts that are ongoing right now for this important and time sensitive cause.