[imText1]Ha Tae Kyung, the president of Open Radio for North Korea (ORNK), a shortwave radio broadcast company that targets NK, said that ORNK is going to start the program titled, “the second aid movement for North Korean people.” Its goal is to promote a public campaign for participating in broadcasting to North Korean people and to open the real path for real reconciliation between North and South Korean people.
There was a conference held by ORNK and Citizens United for a Better Society under the title of “the significance of nongovernmental broadcasting toward NK and the way to activate it.” President Ha stated that the citizens of North and South now should act mainly for reconciliation between the two states, though the two leaders started it in 2002.
President Ha explained why he titiled the broadcasting of ORNK as “the second aid movement for North Korean people.” It was because we should let North Korean people know that people can reveal their minds without any fear about punishment in the ordinary liberal societies.
ORNK has aired “collecting complaints against Kim Jong Il”, seeking separated family members and abductees” and “programs produced by South Korean students toward NK people in which ordinary citizens can easily participate.
It has been noted that the contents of broadcasting has been consistently diverse since July, 2006 when “Radio 21” known as a pro-ruling party media and broadcasting stations of universities, began its events and broadcasting programs.
ORNK aired and continues to air programs produced by students of Dongkook, Sungshin Women’s, Chongshin, Jongang, Soongsil and Hanyang University since December 2006.
President Ha stated that he was trying to make around 30 universities and high school broadcasting stations participate in broadcasting toward NK in 2007.
Lee Ihn Keun, chairman of Dongkook University’s broadcasting station, addressed “the significance and the role of the university’s broadcasting toward NK”, He suggested transmitting the novels and creative ideas of students to North Korean citizens and participating to the more students in this movement.
He said that the North Korean problems and the 50 years’ of conflict between the North and South could be solved gradually if North Korean people would listen to the programs that include the thinking of SK university students.
Additionally, Ha stated, it would be so piquant when the programs about minds and cultures of students were aired in NK, he said. And, more university broadcasting stations all over South Korea should participated in this initiative in addition to the six stations already in operation.
Jung Cheol, a defector and student, said “NK authority can’t control all of the hidden waves as the audiences of radios in NK increase.”
Park Sung Moon, a producer of Radio 21, stated that Kin Jong-il may feel threatened byradio broadcasting because radio can change people’s awareness. And, he explained that broadcasting through the short waves is really significant, as the demand for foreign broadcasting programs is increasing.
Hong Sung Ki, a professor of Ajou University, said that the necessity of the broadcasting toward North Korea increased after the great famine and the control of NK authorities was loosened to allow them to watch the broadcastings.
Mang Hyung Kyu, a congressman of the National Grand Party, said that broadcasting toward NK may be an important mediator that links between the citizens of the North and the South while the SK government doesn’t express in any interests in the human rights of NK people—instead they are just focused on of the actions of Kim Jong Il.
Yoo Se Hee, the chairman of Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights, stated that “the broadcastings can inform [NK people] properly of the real situation of SK and the real status of other North Koreans can be delivered to NK citizens. Nevertheless, the SK policy toward NK is a great obstacle to let SK people know the facts about NK.
