Kang Cheol Hwan, Executive Director of the North Korea
Strategy Center, a defector-led organization promoting free press and media in
North Korea by disseminating outside media into the nation in the form of USBs,
DVDs, and radios, attended the East Asia Democracy Forum [EADF] Founding
Assembly in Taipei from September 13th to 15th.
The EADF was established by the Taiwan Foundation for
Democracy [TFD] on December 18th, 2013 in order to raise awareness for the
advancement of democracy and human rights in Northeast Asia. Kang was joined by
members of other groups at the event seeking new strategies on how to
improve human rights situations in the region, and enhance collaboration and
communication among them to create a stronger network. The China Labor Bulletin,
an NGO that promotes and defends workers’ rights in China, Transparency
International Japan, the Japanese leg of an NGO that monitors and publicizes
corporate and political corruption in international development, and Open
Society Forum Mongolia, an NGO active civic participation in Mongolian
political and social life, were among the other civil society organizations in
attendance.
The forum had three main objectives: “[1] support
pro-democracy forces in the region, [2] promote and consolidate democracy in
the region, and [3] develop a regional democracy network.” While the focal
point of discussion throughout the conference revolved around how NGOs could
employ democratic values to promote the rights of minorities, women, laborers
and government transparency, other issues such as women’s rights, indigenous
minority rights, government transparency, and labor rights also featured
prominently.
During the EADF Founding Assembly, Executive Director Kang
remarked on the significance of having so many civil society organizations from
the region together, stating, “So far, North Korea human rights have been
supported by countries such as the US and other countries in Europe with a lack
of connectedness and support from Asian institutions and organizations.”
By coming together at the forum, he emphasized the
importance of cooperation and collaboration, “We hope to build stronger network
and support for North Korea human rights from the Asian region and we, as a
defector community, hope to support other regional human rights concerns.” He
went on to raise concerns over the barriers China poses to improving human
rights and democracy in the region, and emphasized the need for an alliance to
urge the nation to reform. He also cited defector support in both China and South Korea as crucial to ensuring freedom in North Korea.
“Refusing to grant refugee
status to North Korean refugees means that [China] is denying that they are
political victims,” Kang stated. “Consequently, North Korean refugees face the
danger of being repatriated to North Korea facing torture and imprisonment in
political prison camps.”
