[imText1]At Seoul Plaza, site of the North Korean human rights concert, “Compassion for North Korean Orphans,” there was a young man who wiped tears from his eyes when the image of refugee orphans wandering alone in China appeared on the big screen.
Park Choon Shik is currently a student of international relations after defecting from the North and entering Japan via China and South Korea. He was also a refugee orphan who wandered with his younger sister in China 10 years ago. He and his sister’s memoir, “The Aria of the Border,” was published and widely distributed at the 2008 North Korean Human Rights International Campaign.
He stated, regarding the current reality of refugee orphans in China. “The situation seems to be worse than when my sister and I were in China. However, it is a relief that people are increasingly taking an interest in refugee orphans, however belatedly.”
Park strongly demanded, “Refugee orphans should never be repatriated. The South Korean government should not hand over this issue to missionaries or to human rights organizations, but should seek a way to cooperate with Chinese authorities bilaterally.”
He added, “I hope that refugee orphans do not give up their dreams and persevere. The collapse of the North Korean regime is not far off, so they should hold onto their strength.”
[The following is the interview with Park]
– Can you describe the living conditions in your hometown?
“Since I was born, the food situation in North Korea has been in dire straits. From 1997, the situation became more severe. Since 1994, when I was 10, I started selling in the market, indeed there were many young children who traveled to other regions to make a living. I would take the train from Suncheon, South Pyongan Province to Kimchaek, North Hamkyung Province and sell goods. I was an ‘itinerant merchant.’
I would bring an empty bag from home, buy notebooks in Suncheon, go back to Kimchaek and sell them there, then buy cheap salt in Kimchaek, and sell it in Suncheon. A bag full of salt weighed approximately 15kg.
Whenever I rode the train, there were 6 or 7 other children in the same car who were also selling goods. On unlucky days, we would have to climb on to the roof of the train and ride that way. Some children died from falling or from being electrocuted.”
– Were there many such children in North Korea at the time?
“There were a lot of street children (kotjebi) that had to get by without any help. There would be a black crowd of them at every station. They were really black because not only were the school uniforms at that time black, but the children could not wash themselves.”
In Suncheon station alone, the number of children always exceeded 100. The street children organized themselves into groups of two or three and would steal food from people at the station, but others ended up starving to death or had to wait for someone to give them food.”
– Do you have any childhood memories of North Korea?
“In our neighborhood, there were 6 to 8 households of soldiers who worked with my dad, and 15 households of farmers. I remember playing with empty bullet cartridges as a kid. I heard that the ‘hit the nail game’ was popular in South Korea, but we also played the game by placing 6~7 nails inside the cartridges and aiming for each other’s cans. Some children even lost their fingers from the explosion of gunpowder while playing with the cartridges of multiple rocket guns.
I lived pretty well until I was 9 years old, given that I was from a military home. However, I think it was an extremely difficult situation for the farmers at the time. The children of farmers could not eat nor wash very well, so they were called ‘farmer beggars.’
I looked up my home once on Google earth recently and was surprised by the fact that the topography had barely changed. I don’t know if it is because someone else has remodeled the door, but with the exception of it opening in a different direction, nothing else had changed.”
– How is your life in Japan?
“I went over to Japan in March 2005. I was working in a company in South Korea at the time, but quit the job after friction with my boss and went to Japan.
Things were difficult at first due to communication barriers. I am living in Osaka now, but commute two and a half hours to attend the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Kyoto. I am studying international relations and my sister Sun Hee is studying sociology at Kansai University in Osaka.
I am supporting myself through school by working side jobs at convenience stores, cafes, and as an assistant cook, and by doing a little bit of translation work.”
– What is your reason for studying international relations?
“I have experienced North Korean, Chinese, and Japanese societies. Japan is a country which is very interested in North Korea, so I thought that it was a place where I could study the change in international relations vis a vis North Korea. Essentially, I chose this field because I wanted to study the situations in countries around the world.”
– Which field would you like to work in afterwards?
“That changes constantly (laughs). However, I want to study a lot first whatever it is. I think Japan is more advanced than China, which in turn is more advanced than North Korea. After studying here, I want to study a bit more in Sweden.
Then, I want to return and embark on my path. It is my dream to work on the unified Korean peninsula. The reason why I want to study in a developed country is to return to North Korea someday. The area falling behind the most in North Korea is the area of society and politics. In the future, I want to make economic policies for North Korea and also work for the advancement of the North Korean citizens.
My sister Sun Hee has a simpler plan than me (laughs). First and foremost, I think she desires to live as well as everyone else.”
– What kind of a perspective of North Korea is dominant in Japan?
“Japanese people, in contrast to South Koreans, are more advanced in terms of globalization. The level of interest in the poor in Africa and the environmental damage incurred as a result of China, as well as in North Korea, is quite high.
Also, when looking at the internet in Japan, most of the world’s language packs are installed for the users. Even in karaoke bars, the selection of songs from other countries are on par with Japanese songs.
People are quite angry towards North Korea regarding the abductees, nuclear, and human rights issues. At the same time, people are quite compassionate towards North Korean civilians.
The movie ‘Crossing’ was shown in Japan and many Japanese people cried for the North Korean civilians. Also, the story of Cheol Hoon who died in Mongolia [the root source of the movie ‘Crossing’] was recently introduced to Japan and people cried a lot then, too.”
– What is the perspective of Japanese society towards North Korean refugees?
“The most difficult aspect of my experience living in South Korea was getting along with other people. While I was coexisting with South Koreans, I did not get the feeling that we were truly living together. South Koreans view us with the mindset that “North Koreans have been brainwashed in the North and are therefore abnormal.” They are very judgmental.
Refugees are trying hard to adjust to South Korean society. However, South Koreans often condemn North Korean refugees as a whole. I am very concerned that South Koreans will treat the 20 million North Korean citizens that way when the regime collapses.
On the other hand, Japan is not that way. They do not have any antipathy towards refugees, instead acknowledging them as individuals. I have never encountered any bias or discrimination.”
– Is there a message you would like to relay to refugee orphans who are residing in foreign countries such as China?
“They seem to be in more dire circumstances than what I went through. I hope that they will never be found and sent back to the North.
I also hope that they will not abandon their dreams and will live with a sense of hope. The collapse of North Korea is not too far off, so they should persevere. Their dreams will be realized.”
