About
About me:
- South Dakota’s foremost authority on North Korea. Used to live here, went to law school, joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, served in South Korea from 1998 to 2002. Went native, came back to America. Lawyer in Washington, D.C. by day, gadfly and contrarian by night.
- Helped the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, draft the bills that became law as the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act, Public Law No. 114-122; the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act, Title III of Public Law No. 115-44; and various bills for various members since then.
- Since its humble beginnings in January 2004, this site has been cited by news reports and editorials in The Wall Street Journal (here, here, here, here, and here), Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post (this interactive and this story, and here, here, here, here, here, and here), The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, CNN, The Daily Beast, and in a New York Times op-ed by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson, and in this report by the Congressional Research Service.
- Published op-eds in The New York Times (here and here), The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN.com, and Foreign Policy (with co-author, Professor Sung-Yoon Lee). And a bunch of others, which I’ve listed here.
- Published this legal analysis of North Korea sanctions in The Fletcher Security Review and this analysis of North Korea’s state sponsorship of terrorism, which North Korea’s state media denounced on May Day 2015.
- Testified in 2006 before the House International Relations Committee (as it was then known) regarding the state of the U.S.-South Korean alliance, rising anti-Americanism, and the inadequacy of legal protections for U.S. soldiers in South Korean courts.
Disclaimers:
- The views expressed here are not those of any other person, organization, or entity; they are the author’s alone. Specifically, they don’t represent the views of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, or its Chairman, members, or staff. The commenters’ views are also their own.
- Discussion of legal subject matter is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The material I post on this blog is either from open sources or unclassified information provided by readers.
- When I link to published articles, papers, posts, or other sources, I presume them to be reliable unless I say otherwise. Newspapers don’t e-mail bloggers if they correct their stories; too often, they don’t correct their stories at all. If you believe anything I write or link here is inaccurate, kindly drop a comment or e-mail me and I’ll cheerfully correct the post. Your comments contribute to the quality of this blog. I appreciate corrections, and I’ve actually formed friendships with readers specifically because of corrections.
- I occasionally frequently criticize and occasionally approve of things politicians or candidates say, but I don’t endorse parties or candidates or tell you how to vote. You don’t care, and I don’t pretend otherwise. (OK, I did make one very special exception.)
- I don’t accept ads or donations (as if). I run this site on my time and pay the operating costs out of my own pocket.
Comment Policy:
- Stay on topic.
- Be polite: Don’t attack other people because of their race, gender, nationality, or religion. No doxing; leave private or personal details about other people out of the discussion. Profanity is tolerated as long as it helps illustrate your point or appeals to my subjective sense of humor, but don’t direct it at other participants in the discussion.
- No commercial links.
- No sock puppetry. If you’ve posted here under one online identity, use that identity or comment anonymously.
- I reserve the right to delete comments that are just plain stupid, or to put the authors of consistently stupid comments into moderation. It’s an unfortunate fact that stupid comments drive away intelligent ones, and if you doubt me, just have a look at that principle in action. Different bloggers take different views of how to approach this — to each his own. I’m just trying to create a small, safe space for intelligent discussion on one narrow range of subjects, on one small site I built with my own time and money. There’s plenty of room elsewhere on the Internet for caps-locked rants about why fire doesn’t melt steel, why Bush is Hitler, why Gitmo is exactly the same as Auschwitz, or how Barack Obama covered up his Moldovan birth certificate.
That said, I especially welcome dissenting views. All I ask — and this applies equally to everyone — is that you keep it reasonably civil and intelligent, and support your views with supporting links where necessary. Comments should contribute to our knowledge and the quality of our thinking.
Contact: onefreekorea(at)yahoo(dot)com
About The Banner Image: It’s is a NASA low light level image of the Korean peninsula taken on the night of April 15, 2001. I first saw this image when I was serving with the U.S. Army in Korea when it became popular to put this image, and perhaps other similar images you can find on the Web, on soldiers’ farewell plaques.
I found this particular image here, at the Web site of the left-of-center Federation of American Scientists, after Christopher Hitchens linked it in his excellent article, “Worse than 1984: North Korea, Slave State. Click to see it full size.
To make the banner image, I cut the Korean peninsula out of the original image, put it on a transparent background, changed the eerie green boundary lines to gray, and restored the extreme northeastern parts of North Hamgyeong Province, which had been cut out of the original image. On occasion, I get e-mails accusing me of altering this image, suggesting that I dimmed or grayed out the lights of Pyongyang or other cities in the North (I didn’t). Examine the original image. A small amount of light is visible in Pyongyang if you look closely at my banner. Can’t see it? Well, here it is full size.
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I heard about your site on HotAir, mentioned in some post. I have been interested in the DPRK since I have relatives living in Pongyang (temporarily) since 2005. There are limits to what they can tell me via e-mail, so I am seeking additional info where I can.
To whom it may concern,
I have 40 acres in San Diego that I want to use to help those fleeing from the north rebuild their lives. I may be able to extend that by an additional 80 acres if needed.
I would like to extend the underground railroad to the United States of America. I am not a man of means, but I served a mission in Korea in the late 80’s and am sickened by the atrocities being committed against the Korean people.
My specialty is Korean sign language, but since returning to the United States, I have received my medical degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine. One other member of my family ( My sister ) served in Korea also, but I have a vast network of friends who served their also.
I am very serious about this, please put me in contact with those who can help this become a reality.
Sincerely your friend,
Joe Richardson
Dear “Joe Richardson”
How can I reach you?
Sunny Lee
Foreign Correspondent
Korea Times
boston.sunny@yahoo.com
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-1-of-3
Actually I’ve always wondered if Mr Stanton had seen that video that Jack just posted. It’s light-hearted but very interesting, especially for people unfamiliar with the situation. No mention made of concentration camps though, from what I remember.
I recently stumbled across this site and I’m glad I discovered it!
My last name is Lee, but I’m not Asian… having said that, I consider Korea my second home and have always wondered how I might become more involved in helping the people of north Korea.
My first trip to Korea was in November 1986. I was an E4 (Specialist) Infantryman in the US Army and ended up getting stationed at Camp Greaves. I ended up extending my one-year hardship tour to three years as I literally fell in love with the country and was amazed at how much the ROK changed in just the three years I was there.
I now own a business that provides consulting and representative services to US and European companies doing business (or seeking to do business) in Korea with special emphasis placed on Korea’s high-technology electronics industries.
Since 1992 I have been traveling to Korea about six times a year with some stints lasting months at a time. Korea’s new visa laws are very intriguing and I’m considering moving my business there and just working out of our Yong-in office instead of making the back and forth trips.
I have great empathy for the north Korean people and would love to find ways to be more involved in helping.
God bless you and your work!
Thank you for your welcome and kind words! I’ll drop in when possible!
Hello,
First of all my I say how much I appreciate your website and the work your doing.
second, I am a journalism student in University of Westminster in London. as part of my Internationl Journalism course I chose to specialze on North Korea and report as if I was a correspondent there. For my final assignment we had to write an analytical feature about our country. It would be an honour for me if you will publish it in your website. it is 1500 words long and based on intense research. if you are interested can you please send me an email address where i can attach the file to.
sincerely yours,
Elad
Hi,
I’m a student teacher in Australia, and modern Asian History is a focus area (i like to think of it as a baby…predominate focus on east Asia). This website – and the links to others it has – is an absolutely amazing resource. thanks for having it. Im doing a lesson on the prison camps tomorrow thanks to what you have. I’m also much more enlightened. I keep getting lost in information, and going off track… not that that is a bad thing.
Cheers, Jess.
Must read book: Eating With the Enemy: How I Waged Peace with North Korea from My BBQ Shack in Hackensack
Actually, that sounds like dull and superficial reading to me, but to each his own.
Hi, my name is Janet Lu, and I am writing an article about the possible reunification tax for the Harvard Political Review. I am looking for experts’ opinions on Lee Myung-Bak’s recent statement in support of the tax, particularly the reasons for which he made it and the potential effects it may have on the political climate in Korea.
If you are free for an interview (via telephone or Skype) before Friday (9/24), please contact me at my email address. Thank you, Mr. Stanton!
Janet
I’m so glad I found your site. I find it to be the number one source for information regarding North Korea. In fact, I’m thinking of writing a book titled “Behind the Walls of North Korea” and hope that one day the world will start to pay attention to the cruelty going on in that country.
What? You left out that you were cited in the East Bay Express under: “About Joshua Stanton”.
🙂
I really don’t understand…if you have proof, then why not take it to the US Government (not that they are any help), or flood the media? The more attention you bring to this issue, the more pressure people can put on others to act. I do feel bad for the Korean people and would like very much to see them free. However, China backs North Korea. How do you deal with China? Then there is Iran, and Venezuela. I believe it would be a domino effect and America can not go to war with the world.
Hi Josh,
Thank you so much for this blog. It’s so informative and well written. I’m not a student in Asian politics, journalism or anything related (hearing related masters), but since going to SK (ESL) I’ve been following the situation closely. Your site is probably the most balance and up-to-date site out there. Amazing! Keep up the good work!
I can’t encourage and thank you enough for your great work!
Simon
Thank you! Please stop by to praise me often!
Joshua Stanton,
I think your idea of asymmetrical warfare within North Korea is something that not only is necessary, but critical at this point in time. It’s an idea I’ve been toying with for several years now, because, as a Korean-Canadian, I feel I have a bond with the Korean Peninsula through my immigrant parents and I believe Korean reunification (on South Korea’s terms) is necessary for stability in that region.
People like to talk about risks in an asymmetrical plan, but I think we are beyond that. It doesn’t have to be something on a large scale either. We don’t need thousands of people involved, because there is a higher chance of recruiting incompetent, wavering, or panicky dissidents who will, over the long run, be disadvantageous to such an important movement.
I think a dozen or two dozen dedicated members to begin with would be smart. Provide them with military training, physical fitness (endurance), and self-sufficiency (living off the land).
The weapons you arm them with is the most important aspect of all of this. All weapons will have to plausibly be obtained from Chinese, Russian, or North Korean, as you don’t want any connections of these insurgents to US, South Korean, or other benefactors. Also, guns themselves are too high profile, especially since — and this is an assumption — guns are hard to obtain from countries such as China, Russia, or North Korea.
I would really like to discuss this further with you if you have time. Is there any e-mail address I can contact you with?
Terry
Thank you Mr. Stanton for your research and information. As a high school English teacher, I am leading my students through Elie Wiesel’s text, Night. My students are in disbelief half way through the novel. I have tried to explain to them that there is a holocaust happening in their time as well in North Korea–and that this can happen right under your noses. Again, thanks for the information.
Enough is enough. What can U.S. residents do to hasten the fall of North Korea?
Contribute to http://www.helpinghandskorea.org or North Korean Freedom Coalition
(www.nkfreedom.org)?
– Don
Thank you all for One * Free * Korea
I find it very informative and timely.
Also, now is also Christmas eve on world time. UTC Fri Dec 24 01:54 UTC 2010
Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, what ever comes first, to all.
Oops, put that previous extra ‘also’ under the tree, label it from me!
Cheers!
January 27th, Worldwide Day of Fasting and Prayer to Stop the North Korean Genocide
January 27th, 2011 commemorates the 66th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, the largest concentration camp established by the Nazi regime where over 1 million innocent Jews died during the Holocaust. The atrocities committed at Auschwitz and other extermination and slave-labour camps shocked the world after liberation, the revelation of which formed the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. It has been declared an International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Holocaust by the United Nations. The greatest way to truly honor the victims of the Holocaust is to do everything in our power to ensure that these atrocities will never happen to another human being again. In North Korea the same atrocities have occurred on a mass scale for several decades, including extermination through mass starvation, gas chambers, chemical and biological weapon experimentation on human beings, public executions, forced abortions, slave-labour and systematic torture. Including the deaths which occurred during the Korean War, an estimated over 8 million people have been killed on this Korean Peninsula as a direct result of actions taken by the genocidal North Korean regime. The North Korean regime has used its weapons of mass destruction to divert the world’s attention from crimes against humanity and genocide. We declare January 27th, 2011 a Worldwide Day of Fasting and Prayer to Stop the North Korean Genocide, and plead all Churches around the world and the entire international community to urgently intervene and take specific actions (such as demonstrations, petitions, press conferences, invocation of Geneva Convention) for the immediate liberation of all North Koreans.
1) PLEASE PRAY FOR THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN NORTH KOREA WHO ARE STARVING, TORTURED AND ENSLAVED BY THE KIM JONG IL REGIME. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LIBERATION OF ALL POLITICAL CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND FOR A SUPERNATURAL WAY TO BE MADE FOR ALL STARVING PEOPLE TO IMMEDIATELY HAVE THE FOOD AND THE NOURISHMENT THEY DESPERATELY NEED. (LUKE 16:19-31, JEREMIAH 32:35, ISAIAH 58:6-12, ETC.)
2) PLEASE PRAY FOR KIM JONG IL’S GENOCIDAL REGIME TO BE OVERTURNED AND FOR NEW, GODLY LEADERSHIP TO COME THAT WILL RESPECT THE PEOPLES HUMAN RIGHTS, LIVES AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS (ISAIAH 37:14-20, JONAH 3:4, ETC.)
3) PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LIBERATION OF ALL NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES IN CHINA, ESPECIALLY FOR THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ENSLAVED BY TRAFFICKERS BECAUSE CHINA REFUSES THEM THEIR RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW. PLEASE PRAY FOR CHINA TO STOP REPATRIATING THE REFUGEES TO THEIR DEATHS IN NORTH KOREA. (ISAIAH 40:17, ISAIAH 61:1-4, LUKE 10:25-37, ETC.)
4) PLEASE PRAY FOR THE REPENTANCE OF SOUTH KOREA, AMERICA, AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING THIS GENOCIDE TO CONTINUE EVEN THOUGH WE ARE AWARE OF THE HORRIFIC REALITY, WHICH IS THE WORST HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS AND GENOCIDE IN THE WORLD TODAY. PLEASE PRAY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA TO PUBLISH, BROADCAST AND TELEVISE THE TRUTH ABOUT GENOCIDE IN NORTH KOREA AND CHINA, AND FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO PROTEST AND DEMONSTRATE SO THAT LEADERS WILL BE PRESSURED TO ACT AND THAT THERE WILL BE AN INTERVENTION TO SAVE THESE MILLIONS OF LIVES. (MATTHEW 25:31-46, MATTHEW 7:12, ECCLESIASTES 12:13, JOHN 8:32, ETC.)
PLEASE COMMIT TO MOBILIZE PRAYER AND TO TAKE URGENT AND SPECIFIC ACTIONS FOR THE LIVES OF THE NORTH KOREAN PEOPLE TO BECOME FREE AND HEALED. (JOEL 2:15-17, ESTHER 4:16, 2 CHRONICLES 7:14, ETC.)
http://WWW.STOPNKGENOCIDE.COM
VIDEO: Inside North Korea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxLBywKrTf4&feature=fvw
VIDEO: BORN AND RAISED IN A N. KOREAN CONCENTRATION CAMP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms4NIB6xroc
“I Will Overturn”
http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/001542.html
The Cry of the Elect
http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/002834.html
Dear Friends at One Free Korea and supporters of the suffering and oppressed in N. Korea,
I am sending you this audio file containing my interview with Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs which focus’s on the horrific situation in N.Korea. Todd shares important first hand accounts of what God is doing in the hermit kingdom of N. Korea. Todd also shares with us the incomprehensible suffering the people in this isolated regime are experiencing and how Christians because they Christians are considered enemy #1 of the criminal regime of Kim Jong Il.
The purpose of this interview with Todd Nettleton was to give him the opportunity to present to all those who will listen a clear voice to the suffering members of God’s forever family and all the captive people of N. Korea.
Blessings,
Doug Riggs Isa. 49:24-26 w/ Zeph. 2:10-11
Audio file: Doug Riggs & Todd Nettleton: VOM North Korea.
http://www.thebyteshow.com/Audio/DougRiggs/DougRiggs_ToddNettleton_VOM_NorthKorea_3Feb2011_TBS.mp3
(http://www.thebyteshow.com/DouglasRiggs.html)
North Korea: Fax threatens VOM project: http://www.persecution.com/public/newsroom.aspx?story_ID=MTQ3
ABOUT TODD NETTLETON: http://www.toddnettleton.com/about.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends and Family,
Robert has asked me to email all of you and let you know that we have decided to put him into the hospital due to his PTSD and for his protection. Some of the media has discredited him and also there have been threats that have affected him in a negative way. He is not the same person that went into North Korea on December 25, 2009. I am confident that the Lord will restore Robert to the pure, compassionate, and wonderful person he was before he followed the Lords will and made the world aware of what was happening in North Korea.
We ask that all of you continue to fervently pray that the Lord takes all the violent and irrational acts away and restores him with love and compassion. Also pray that he does not become suicidal and that he can forgive and move on. He is a very strong person and will return to that state.
At this time, there will not be anymore speeches or interviews or church meetings. It is a time for him to rest and heal and fully recover. He needs to be able to take time to listen to what God is telling him.
He said that if you really want to help the tortured people in North Korea, continue to pray for them. If you at all can, get together in small groups weekly just to pray for the oppressed North Korean people. I know most of you do this anyway, but I said I would remind everyone.
Another way is to help raise funds for the refugees. This will bring drastic changes to the victims. If you have any suggestions, how to raise funds, please let me know. They need our help so much. There are several people that know where to send the monies. If you don’t have a good contact, I have resources and you can contact me.
He also said that mass demonstrations is a way to let the world know what is really going on. This will require some leaders and good organizations. Let me know what you feel on this. Our governments are not doing anything to stop this genocide and holocaust, so we the people, must speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. It is required of us.
We personally want to thank everyone for all their efforts in helping with this mission. The fight is not over, and if the Lord so leads you, please take up the cause and follow His lead. Let us all join in unity and support the cause and in turn that will be helping Robert too. I will try to keep everyone updated. I love you all and God bless you.
Love in Christ,
Rita Vasquez
Dear Mr. Joe Richardson
I’d like to contact you as well.
I’m just a Korean student, but I’d be glad if I could help what you’re planning to do.
rubysapphirek@gmail.com
Joshua Stanton –
I know you recognize the user name. It is Seigle from Korea. I want to hear from you waffleseigle@yahoo.com
If anyone on here can help me find Joshua Stanton please get me his contact info.
Monroe Seigle
404 402 8781
It’s me, I’ll email you.
Hi, my name is Tom Papain, a law student entering his third and final year of law at Fordham University School of Law in New York. Recently, the City University of Hong Kong accepted my paper on children’s rights in North Korea. Specifically, the paper talks about how a North Korean child’s education is filled with propaganda promoting the North Korean way of life and government, while denouncing the American “rogues” and Japanese “imperialists.” I offer solutions to this problem at the end of the paper, highlighting the importance of education reform in the country brought about by pressure from the international community (UN and NGOs, amongst others).
This paper is set to be published very soon, and I was wondering if you would want a link to it or a copy of the publication when the article comes out.
Thanks,
– Tom
Don’t forget, that South Korea until 1988 was a very harsh and repressive capitalist dictatorship as well ruled by generals and the military, with many political prisoners, many been in prison for many decades. It is my hope that also today’s DPRK will be democratisized like the southern part of Korea. I guess it is not possible for South Korea alone to unite with North Korea on economical basis, like the FRG did with the GDR in 1990/1991, as the former GDR was actually the richest and most well-developed country within the SEV-countries here in Europe.
To pastor Riggs:
What North Koreans need is hardly christian religion and prayers, but good philosophy, like Michel de Montaigne. When we in Europe crushed christian power in the 1789, 1848 and 1917 revolutions and the victo´ry over conservatism and nazism in 1945, we really became free also in the soul. Religion is just an opium for the hurt soul.
Hi,
I am a student in Denmark who seeks more information about the conflict between North and South Korea.
Here in Denmark we only have a few books and other litteratur about korea, which is a same, when you think about the huge impact the conflict with North Korea can become.
As an adopted South Korean, I feel that Korea has a special place in my heart and hope to pass it on to my children some day, and hope that the situation will change to a better.
Thanks to the creaters of this site. I believe this is a step in the right direction, inlighten people about the problems.
I know it may not be the right site to post this, but hope someone out there maybe can help me.
Thanks
Line Petersen
Joshua,
I think that you are doing amazing work with this blog. My interest in North Korea and its government grows more and more each day. I’m sorry to say that I was very much ignorant about it until the most recent death of Kim Jong-Il, which REALLY sparked my interest in this closed country. I’m glad that I found a blog that talks about it so extensively; I’m definitely showing this to one of my friends tomorrow, who is also reading UNDER THE LOVING CARE OF THE FATHERLY LEADER with me (very interesting read).
Keep up the great work!!
By the way, is there anywhere on here that has links to where I can check out more defector testimonies? I’ve read both THE AQUARIUMS OF PYONGYANG and EYES OF THE TAILLESS ANIMALS, and read through UN testimonies of Lee Soon-Ok, and I’m hoping to be able to purchase NOTHING TO ENVY and THIS IS PARADISE! soon (once I get extra funds). Is there anywhere on here that lists more books about defectors that I can read? Thanks in advance!! :]
Josh:
Nice post on our blog. With your permission, I am going to expand into another blog post: citing your comment in full and trying to sharpen the issues.
Steph
Thank you, Prof. Haggard, permission most certainly granted. I look forward to reading your response.
Hey Joshua,
I just read your article in CBS… just saw a great Discovery documentary “Rise and Fall of Japan” and was piqued at Japan’s involvement (experimentation) in Korea colonialism and then somehow it popped into my brain as to why the US is still there (I live in Vietnam, my home for five years and loving it). It appears your one article has clarified my need to pointlessly ponder, ‘we’ should bounce out of there. The Koreans are affluent and brave enough to stand against the future ‘alone’. It is their destiny and should feel privileged to participate in the next chapter without the US breathing from behind. Great article, good stuff, you have my support.
Dear Mr. Stanton,
Did you see http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/opinion/sunday/a-north-korean-corleone.html?ref=global-home, an argument that the right way to think about the Kim government is not as a cult, not as a totalitarian government, but as an organized crime ring?
The policy implications are not immediately obvious and the opinion piece doesn’t help much in proposing tactics.
Fred
I have been trying to get in touch with the AP’s Ms. Jean H. Lee, but find (or don’t find) that apparently no direct contact via E-Mail is possible. In the hope that you will find interesting what I tried unsuccessfully to tell her, I will send you a copy of the E-Mail written for her. In essence, Mount Paektu {aka Chang Bai Shan volcano} is probably the most hazardous volcano on earth. When it explosively changes into a caldera, the damage will be far more severe than was Krakatoa or prior eruptions at Yellowstone. As a geologist, I have been fascinated by this volcano and have been compiling/developing data to quantify the degree of risk, etc. If you wish to contact me directly, my telephone number is 303-237-6590 or cell 303-717-1020. By the way, I, too, am a veteran (USAF, 1966-1971, SSgt., AF14964531) and, most unusual, possess many maps, satellite images, etc., of both north and south Korea.
I thought you might like to see this video if you have not caught it already.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYdci6VS18&feature=g-vrec
Some insight/views of areas outside the NK capitol.
Just wondering what I can do here from San Diego. I have friends that just might jump on this issue if there is a group here to connect with. The NK situation is without question the worst human rights violation on the earth today, and something HAS to be done. WHERE are the “human rights wackos” when you REALLY need them in a REAL human rights violation?? Also, just a humble suggestion on the t-shirts. I wouldn’t put “Justice for North Korea” only because it sounds left-wing agitprop pointing to the world “picking” on NK. How about “STOP THE GENOCIDE IN NORTH KOREA!” or, “STOP HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NORTH KOREA!” -something like that? Thanks for calling attention to this horrific situation.
John, Please see the new “get involved” tab at the top. Thanks.
Hi i just have one question that i can’t seem to find the answer for. when were these prison camps installed in north korea? thanks -michael
Hi ! Can somebody explain to me why China is keeping North Korea dictatorship alive ? Are they scared of the economic strentgh of a united Korea ? Do they keep it as a scarecrow for the chinese people meaning “Don’t complain, it could be worse in China… Look at North Korea!” etc
PS:Please correct my bad english if you publish my question. Thanks
Several reasons, but mainly because they want North Korea as a buffer state. If Korea is united, it would first go through a difficult and chaotic reconstruction period, but would then become one of Asia’s most economically and militarily powerful countries within two decades, and a potential strategic rival to China. If Korea is small and divided, China has more influence over both halves. A weak North Korea is easy to exploit economically — China is digging up all of North Korea’s minerals, for a price that at least Kim Jong Un considers too cheap. A divided Korea also keeps a U.S. ally and a democracy away from China’s border. It also helps China in its strategic competition with the U.S. by serving as a strategic distractor for U.S. forces.
Dear Mr. Stanton,
My name is Daniel Kim and I came across your website completely by accident, but I believe there is a reason for it. I seriously doubt this was a chance encounter. My father and his family were originally from the north and I have always been interested in news from or about the north.
Your comment from March 14,2014 is spot on in my humble opinion. To that assessment I might add that neither Japan nor the USA is cheering for a unified Korea either. For that matter, many Koreans may not welcome that possibility either. Sad as it is, I find that maintaining this horrible status quo is the easy answer for most involved.
I personally believe reunification is not only inevitable in the near future, but an imperative at too many levels. I pray that the people of South Korea will step up to help their transition from the dark ages to modern times.
I will keep exploring your website whenever I find time for it. Thank you sir for your hard work putting this information online and please drop me a line by email if you happen to be in the northern New Jersey area.
Many blessings to you,
Daniel Kim
All I can say is Wow. I have learned so much from this amazing website. I clicked the “About” tab to learn who is behind it, expecting to find an academic. Instead I find an attorney! And a damn good writer. I await the book you should write.
If I were POTUS, the first thing I do is direct my SOS to hire you as a special adviser on North Korean affairs. I would want you sitting on that yellow sofa in the Oval Office telling me what to do vis a vis the DPRK. What do you say? If money is the problem, we’ll hire you as a private practice lawyer and pay your full rack rates rather than the civil servant salary!
The Kims are going on seven decades in power. Unless and until the American public makes it clear to the American government that addressing this humanitarian catastrophe is important, and that the necessary sacrifices ought to be made, nothing’s gonna change. The catastrophe continues, and KJU’s nuclear arsenal grows. So kudos for bringing awareness and reason to this issue, which is the first step in bringing about policy change. And kudos for calling out the press, who I now realize are getting it so wrong, so often. And thank you for making a compelling, well-reasoned argument that something must, and can, be done.
IMHO: US policy towards NK is based on these truths:
The modern US existence (politically and economically) is explicitly contingent on being a policeman and creditor (dollar based) to the world. And in that regard, if there are no conflicts or tension – it will overtly or subvertly create it – and NK has played their role exquisitely for past half century and very low financial cost to US – if only now they would just comply and join the game.
US must make the world safe for the dollar hegemony and in that regard, every sovereign must to some extent comply with the “rule of law” (UCC), of which the US and et al (i.e., brother in arms in commerce) is the sole definer.
The darn NK will just not give up sovereignty and don’t know how to bridge to the middle ground. And, try as it might, the US is having a problem to come up with alternate rules of engagement outside of what has worked for past century – the core being, how to guarantee that debt created for its NK excursions will be enforceable to the Nkoreans.
This guarantee for the debt is the key to the problem – once the NK is willing to give up enough sovereignty, then US will happily permit unification. But, as US now has its own survival considerations and with China willing to bank outside of the US dollar, there is possibility for a “middle” ground for the NK: they have their sovereignty and eat it too, on their own terms and for the US to acquiesce to this happening by permitting other nations to enjoy a party where it is not the only guest of honor.
(Thank you freekorea.us for allowing this little sonata. 😉
Maybe one day, China and Russia will be able to control public and private corruption, build free markets regulated by the rule of law, and create economies whose integrity is accepted by the majority of their people. Maybe one day, they will have financial systems as stable and efficient as ours. Maybe when that happens, wealthy Chinese and Russians will stop parking their money in the United States and Britain. (I suspect plenty of people in Hong Kong are pessimistic about those things these days, but maybe China’s future is better than it seems.) Until then, people who use our financial system will have to obey our laws, including the ones that implement the UN Security Council resolutions that China and Russia voted for.
Meanwhile, if you define “sovereignty” as the possession of nuclear weapons, or the right to tell Americans what movies they get to see, I suggest you take that up with the members of the Security Council that passed five resolutions requiring North Korea to give up all its nuclear programs. I really think you should start in Beijing. You know what you should do? You should totally make up a bunch of leaflets demanding sovereignty for North Korea and scatter them all over Tienanmen Square. Maybe get yourself a bullhorn, too. Godspeed to you, and don’t forget to write!
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