U.S. citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, currently in detention in North Korea, was an activist in South Korea who took part in anti-Pyongyang human rights demonstrations, says Pax Koreana, the umbrella group of religious activists of which Gomes was a part.
Activist and representative from Pax Koreana, Cho Sung Rae revealed in an interview with The Daily NK that Gomes participated in rallies in Seoul after Robert Park entered North Korea. On December 30th, Gomes joined a demonstration on Yeouido, an island in the Han River, for the freedom of North Korean citizens, as well as a protest on January 12th at Imjingak, a park on the border with North Korea, where balloons with messages calling for Park’s freedom were released.
Cho believes Gomes’ fundamental purpose in participating in these rallies to be the promotion of human rights in North Korea, and thus presumes it was with the same aim in mind that Gomes illegally entered North Korea.
Cho believes that Robert Park’s entering North Korea had an especially strong influence on Gomes. “Both Park and Gomes had developed a friendship through church activities, and in particular had many discussions about the North Korean human rights situation. Gomes may have been inspired by Park’s decision to cross into North Korea.”
On Monday, North Korea’s government mouthpiece, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), revealed Gomes’ identity and announced he would be tried for illegal entry.
