1. North Korea focused online newspaper (www.dailynk.com) launched

NKnet held a ceremony for the debut of the world’s first North Korea focused online newspaper, The DailyNK, on December 9, 2004 at the International Conference Room of the Korea Press Center. Prominent invitees such as Hwang Jang Yop, former secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea (KPA), Michael Horowitz, Senior Fellow of the Hudson Institute, Kim Hyong Oh, secretary general of the Grand National Party, Kim Sang Hun, the chief director of North Korean human rights database center, Shin Ji Ho, the president of Liberty Union, foreign officers of the US, France, England embassies and about 300 members of NKnet attended to share this significant day with The DailyNK.

Hwang Jang Yop, the former secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea (KPA), congratulated the five years of NKnet’s history and remarked, “Just as NKnet has come this far, I am assured that the launch of The DailyNK will promote the democratization of North Korea.” He also said, “South Korea who adopted democracy, market economy, and capitalism earlier and overwhelmed North Korean regime now turned their back on their allies and is headed to supporting the dictatorship.” Then he emphasized, “This is a behavior derived from not understanding the reality of North Korea. Thus, the establishment of The DailyNK is significant in the sense that it will report undistorted facts on the reality of North Korea to the world.”

One of the other speakers, Michael Horowitz, Senior Fellow of the Hudson Institute said, “The road to North Korean democratization and human rights is ignored only by the South Korean government. But be aware and confidently march on for the world is your friend!”and encouraged the attendees.

Sohn Kwang Joo, the chief editor of The DailyNK introduced the newspaper and stated, “The purpose of this newspaper is to accomplish the mission of the century, which is realizing democracy and human rights in North Korea, by showing the reality of North Korea in objective perspective.”He also explained the three ways of editing The Daily NK as 1. the realization and democratization of North Korea 2. peaceful establishment and unification of Korean peninsula and 3. peace in Northeast Asia and democratization of the world. He further added, “We will report the facts from an objective point of view, and will focus on building up domestic and foreign public opinions for the sake of North Korean democracy and human rights.

2. Han Ki Hong, the president of NKnet had a talk with Vincent-Guillaume Poupeau, French embassy counselor

November 19, 2004, the president of NKnet, Han Ki Hong had a talk with Vincent-Guillaume Poupeau, (counselor from French Embassy) concerning the prospect of North Korean regime and human rights violations going on North Korea as well as the solutions for which the international community must work together in order to achieve.

3. NKnet attended a meeting for North Korea human rights organizations held by Kim Mun Su, Grand National Party representative

November, 22, Oh Gyeong Sob, NKnet Secretary General and Han Ki Hong, NKnet president attended a meeting for North Korea human rights organizations held by Kim Moon soo, Grand National Representative at the national assembly member’s office building. At this meeting, there was a three hour took place regarding the solutions for North Korea human rights and defectors. Through the meeting, attendees decided to build up systems for cooperation between the national assembly members and North Korea human rights organizations.

4. Han Ki Hong, president attended <Save North Korea Symposium>

Han Ki Hong, President of NKnet, attended <Save North Korea Symposium>, which was held under the title of “Understanding and Possibility of Regime Change” on December 7, 2004. As an invited speaker, he presented his perspective which titled, “386’s Prospect on North Korea and 486’s New Understanding on North Korea Movement”.

5. National Assembly Policy Discussion Panel on the revised North Korean Defectors Resettlement Policy

Oh Gyeong Sob, Secretary General of NKnet, attended the discussion panel, “Problem with the revised North Korean Defectors Resettlement Policy by the Ministry of Unification” as one of the debaters. The panel was sponsored by Special Committee for North Korean Defectors and Abductees to North Korea of Grand National Party. Discussions were moderated by Gov. Kim Moon Soo, presentation was done by Koh Kyung Bin, Chair of Social and Culture Department of Ministry of Unification, to which Oh Gyeong Sob of Nknet, Chun Ki Won, Director of Durihana Mission, and Moon Kuk Han, secretary general of International Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, Seoul Office. In the panel, criticisms on the government’s revised North Korean Defectors Policy followed which heavily criticized ignorance of the Ministry of Unification on their inaction on the issue of the North Korean defectors residing in China and asserting that the revised policy is like a proclamation that South Korea will no longer accept North Korean defectors

6. NKnet End of the Year Dinner

NKnet held an end of the year dinner gathering on December 30, 2004. NKnet citizen members in Seoul, university students, and staff from North Korean defectors organizations and human rights organizations joined NKnet for the dinner. Han Ki Hong, director of NKnet expressed his gratitude to all the members who did their best to contribute to democratization of North Korea and further urged them to work harder to make a noteworthy year of 2005 for North Korea’s democratization. The dinner gathering was significant in that the members and staff were able to look back on the past year and encouraged and consoled each other.

7. Press Conference to Urge a Complete second revision of the North Korean Resettlement Policy

NKnet together with twenty other North Korean defectors organizations and North Korean human rights organizations held a press conference on January 4, 2005 in front of the Government Complex to urge a complete second revision of the North Korean Resettlement Policy. The press conference included representative remarks, statement of the position of the organizations, Q&A session with the reporters, and closed with submitting organization’s position to the Jung Dong Young, Minister of Unification

Oh Gyeong Sob, secretary general of NKnet stated, “North Korean defectors must not be pased as a problem between the two competing regimes but must be treated as a human rights problem.” He further noted, “the South Korean government must assist North Korean defectors coming into South Korea, protect North Korean defectors in China, and even when they are arrested to be repatriated, the government must put all its effort to come up with mechanism that protects their human rights to prevent persecution.” Kim Sung Min of the Free North Korea Radio urged the audience saying, “I oppose government’s revision of the policy that aims to restrict North Korean defectors coming to South Korea. The government must propose a realistic and human rights protecting plan for the North Korean defectors.” NKnet plans to meet with Jung Dong Young, Minister of Unification, for setting up a substantial support and protection mechanism for the North Korean defectors as soon as possible, and will work in various ways according to the government responses.