Open Radio for North Korea (ORNK) and the International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK) have moved to internationalize the fight for the return of Daughter of Tongyeong Shin Suk Ja and her two daughters with the unveiling of an online petition in English.
The petition organizers are hoping to gather a million signatures from around the world to help highlight the case of Shin and her daughters, and with it those of the approximately 200,000 North Koreans currently incarcerated in political prison camps in remote areas of the country.
Speaking about the idea behind the petition with Daily NK today, ORNK international affairs head Kwon Eun Kyoung explained, “ICNK and Open Radio, which acts as the ICNK Secretariat, are now involved in this ‘one million postcard petition’ as a channel by which to connect with the international community.”
“We plan to urge UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to help take care of Dr. Oh’s family by deploying an envoy to North Korea to confirm their whereabouts,” she went on. “In order to bring this about, we need the support of the world as well as South Koreans. Therefore, we are trying to expand this domestic campaign, to make it an international one.”
ICNK and ORNK believe that an online petition represents one of the most feasible and cost effective ways to move the international community and bring more attention to bear on the issue.
“We are also releasing specific cases of crimes against humanity committed by the North Korean regime including Oh’s case on the ICNK website,” Kwon noted.
To visit the petition site, click here
