I’d like to start here with an excerpt from a New York Times article about the
from a New York Times article about the
from a New York Times article about the US government’s response to North
US government’s response to North
US government’s response to North Korea’s provocations administration
Korea’s provocations administration
Korea’s provocations administration officials said the sanctions needed to
officials said the sanctions needed to
officials said the sanctions needed to be painful enough to induce the North
be painful enough to induce the North
be painful enough to induce the North Koreans to reconsider their decision to
Koreans to reconsider their decision to
Koreans to reconsider their decision to proceed with their nuclear weapons
proceed with their nuclear weapons
proceed with their nuclear weapons program while leaving open the
program while leaving open the
program while leaving open the possibility of a diplomatic solution in
possibility of a diplomatic solution in
possibility of a diplomatic solution in Beijing today China warned against
Beijing today China warned against
Beijing today China warned against increasing the confrontation with North
increasing the confrontation with North
increasing the confrontation with North Korea believe it or not this article was
Korea believe it or not this article was
Korea believe it or not this article was published on June 3rd 1994 exactly 23
published on June 3rd 1994 exactly 23
published on June 3rd 1994 exactly 23 years ago but more than two decades
years ago but more than two decades
years ago but more than two decades later it’s the same story over and over
later it’s the same story over and over
later it’s the same story over and over again with zero progress in dealings
again with zero progress in dealings
again with zero progress in dealings with Pyongyang very little has changed
with Pyongyang very little has changed
with Pyongyang very little has changed at the level of high politics when it
at the level of high politics when it
at the level of high politics when it comes to Kim jong-un nuclear weapons we
comes to Kim jong-un nuclear weapons we
comes to Kim jong-un nuclear weapons we know that side of North Korea but why
know that side of North Korea but why
know that side of North Korea but why North Korea matters is not because of
North Korea matters is not because of
North Korea matters is not because of what we see in the media but because of
what we see in the media but because of
what we see in the media but because of the other half of the story that we
the other half of the story that we
the other half of the story that we don’t often hear about that we hardly
don’t often hear about that we hardly
don’t often hear about that we hardly know the story of the North Korean
know the story of the North Korean
know the story of the North Korean people and how they are changing their
people and how they are changing their
people and how they are changing their country from the bottom up stories like
country from the bottom up stories like
country from the bottom up stories like that of my friend min sung min sung was
that of my friend min sung min sung was
that of my friend min sung min sung was born in 1992 and North Korea just two
born in 1992 and North Korea just two
born in 1992 and North Korea just two years after I was born but yet we lived
years after I was born but yet we lived
years after I was born but yet we lived vastly different lives he was 2 years
vastly different lives he was 2 years
vastly different lives he was 2 years old when the famine in North Korea began
old when the famine in North Korea began
old when the famine in North Korea began it took the lives of about 1 million
it took the lives of about 1 million
it took the lives of about 1 million North Koreans thankfully minsang’s uncle
North Koreans thankfully minsang’s uncle
North Koreans thankfully minsang’s uncle had escaped to South Korea much earlier
had escaped to South Korea much earlier
had escaped to South Korea much earlier and was sending money back to his family
and was sending money back to his family
and was sending money back to his family through an illegal broker that money
through an illegal broker that money
through an illegal broker that money allowed min sung and his family to buy
allowed min sung and his family to buy
allowed min sung and his family to buy food at the markets and as a result they
food at the markets and as a result they
food at the markets and as a result they were one of the lucky ones they survived
but chronic hunger followed minsung and
but chronic hunger followed minsung and his family when he was 18 he saw his
his family when he was 18 he saw his
his family when he was 18 he saw his cousins and friends starving and
cousins and friends starving and
cousins and friends starving and overworked and he refused to go through
overworked and he refused to go through
overworked and he refused to go through that North Korea is the most closed
that North Korea is the most closed
that North Korea is the most closed country in the world today ordinary
country in the world today ordinary
country in the world today ordinary North Koreans don’t have internet access
North Koreans don’t have internet access
North Koreans don’t have internet access and aren’t supposed to have any contact
and aren’t supposed to have any contact
and aren’t supposed to have any contact whatsoever with the outside world
whatsoever with the outside world
whatsoever with the outside world but over the past 15 years illegal
but over the past 15 years illegal
but over the past 15 years illegal foreign media has been slowly seeping
foreign media has been slowly seeping
foreign media has been slowly seeping into the country through movies and
into the country through movies and
into the country through movies and South Korean TV shows
South Korean TV shows
South Korean TV shows minsang began to learn about a life
minsang began to learn about a life
minsang began to learn about a life beyond North Korea’s borders he decided
beyond North Korea’s borders he decided
beyond North Korea’s borders he decided to escape in order to live according to
to escape in order to live according to
to escape in order to live according to him like a human being on a Thursday he
him like a human being on a Thursday he
him like a human being on a Thursday he saw his neighbor die of starvation and
saw his neighbor die of starvation and
saw his neighbor die of starvation and witnessed a public execution on Friday
witnessed a public execution on Friday
witnessed a public execution on Friday he went to school came back home and
he went to school came back home and
he went to school came back home and then left everyone he knew behind to
then left everyone he knew behind to
then left everyone he knew behind to cross the river into China he had to
cross the river into China he had to
cross the river into China he had to leave without saying goodbye to his
leave without saying goodbye to his
leave without saying goodbye to his family because he knew they would try to
family because he knew they would try to
family because he knew they would try to stop him escaping meant a chance to live
stop him escaping meant a chance to live
stop him escaping meant a chance to live and freedom and without hunger but it
and freedom and without hunger but it
and freedom and without hunger but it could also mean death he evaded armed
could also mean death he evaded armed
could also mean death he evaded armed guards at the border with orders to
guards at the border with orders to
guards at the border with orders to shoot on sight he swam across the river
shoot on sight he swam across the river
shoot on sight he swam across the river with water levels so high he almost
with water levels so high he almost
with water levels so high he almost drowned and made it to China where if
drowned and made it to China where if
drowned and made it to China where if caught authorities would forcibly sent
caught authorities would forcibly sent
caught authorities would forcibly sent him back to North Korea where he would
him back to North Korea where he would
him back to North Korea where he would be tortured imprisoned or executed
thankfully within three days of crossing
thankfully within three days of crossing the border
the border
the border minsung connected with our organization
minsung connected with our organization
minsung connected with our organization Liberty in North Korea and was rescued
Liberty in North Korea and was rescued
Liberty in North Korea and was rescued through a 3,000 mile modern-day
through a 3,000 mile modern-day
through a 3,000 mile modern-day Underground Railroad from China to
Underground Railroad from China to
Underground Railroad from China to Southeast Asia for reference that’s
Southeast Asia for reference that’s
Southeast Asia for reference that’s further than the distance between here
further than the distance between here
further than the distance between here and New York City in 2010 he
and New York City in 2010 he
and New York City in 2010 he to South Korea safely and was reunited
to South Korea safely and was reunited
to South Korea safely and was reunited with his uncle he has been able to
with his uncle he has been able to
with his uncle he has been able to re-establish contact with his family
re-establish contact with his family
re-establish contact with his family still inside the country and he’s been
still inside the country and he’s been
still inside the country and he’s been working extremely hard in order to save
working extremely hard in order to save
working extremely hard in order to save up as much money as possible to send
up as much money as possible to send
up as much money as possible to send back to them through that same broker
back to them through that same broker
back to them through that same broker that his uncle had used he has sent back
that his uncle had used he has sent back
that his uncle had used he has sent back over ten thousand dollars and that money
over ten thousand dollars and that money
over ten thousand dollars and that money has been critical in supporting his
has been critical in supporting his
has been critical in supporting his family who was still inside North Korea
minsung story is important because he
minsung story is important because he isn’t the only one doing this over the
isn’t the only one doing this over the
isn’t the only one doing this over the past two decades more than thirty
past two decades more than thirty
past two decades more than thirty thousand North Korean refugees have
thousand North Korean refugees have
thousand North Korean refugees have escaped the brutal system in North Korea
escaped the brutal system in North Korea
escaped the brutal system in North Korea and have resettled in South Korea they
and have resettled in South Korea they
and have resettled in South Korea they are an important source of information
are an important source of information
are an important source of information about the most closed country in the
about the most closed country in the
about the most closed country in the world today but more importantly they
world today but more importantly they
world today but more importantly they are emerging as one of the key agents of
are emerging as one of the key agents of
are emerging as one of the key agents of change on this issue about fifty percent
change on this issue about fifty percent
change on this issue about fifty percent of them have reestablished contact with
of them have reestablished contact with
of them have reestablished contact with their families through these illicit
their families through these illicit
their families through these illicit networks and are sending money back to
networks and are sending money back to
networks and are sending money back to them just like min sung and this is
them just like min sung and this is
them just like min sung and this is creating grassroots level change they
creating grassroots level change they
creating grassroots level change they are sending between 15 to 20 million
are sending between 15 to 20 million
are sending between 15 to 20 million dollars per year and that goes a long
dollars per year and that goes a long
dollars per year and that goes a long way for their families in North Korea
way for their families in North Korea
way for their families in North Korea this quiet but highly effective form of
this quiet but highly effective form of
this quiet but highly effective form of people-to-people exchange is one thing
people-to-people exchange is one thing
people-to-people exchange is one thing the government cannot control and cannot
the government cannot control and cannot
the government cannot control and cannot stop the last part of min songs story
stop the last part of min songs story
stop the last part of min songs story that I would like to share with you is
that I would like to share with you is
that I would like to share with you is the part where ordinary people like us
the part where ordinary people like us
the part where ordinary people like us were able to play a role in helping him
were able to play a role in helping him
were able to play a role in helping him reach freedom while min sung was
reach freedom while min sung was
reach freedom while min sung was escaping North Korea students at UCSD
escaping North Korea students at UCSD
escaping North Korea students at UCSD and at other campuses around the world
and at other campuses around the world
and at other campuses around the world we’re hosting bake sales and benefit
we’re hosting bake sales and benefit
we’re hosting bake sales and benefit concerts to raise three thousand dollars
concerts to raise three thousand dollars
concerts to raise three thousand dollars the amount it takes to fund or rescue it
the amount it takes to fund or rescue it
the amount it takes to fund or rescue it was thanks to these funds that we were
was thanks to these funds that we were
was thanks to these funds that we were able to rescue min sung as soon as we
able to rescue min sung as soon as we
able to rescue min sung as soon as we met him
since then we’ve helped over 600 North
since then we’ve helped over 600 North Korean refugees reach freedom but those
Korean refugees reach freedom but those
Korean refugees reach freedom but those rescues were only possible because of
rescues were only possible because of
rescues were only possible because of the thousands of people around the world
the thousands of people around the world
the thousands of people around the world in about 50 countries who have joined
in about 50 countries who have joined
in about 50 countries who have joined the movement to stand with the North
the movement to stand with the North
the movement to stand with the North Korean people minsang has been busy
Korean people minsang has been busy
Korean people minsang has been busy learning English learning how to code in
learning English learning how to code in
learning English learning how to code in Silicon Valley and helping other newly
Silicon Valley and helping other newly
Silicon Valley and helping other newly arrived refugees learn the ropes in
arrived refugees learn the ropes in
arrived refugees learn the ropes in South Korea and he’s now studying
South Korea and he’s now studying
South Korea and he’s now studying mechanical engineering at a university
mechanical engineering at a university
mechanical engineering at a university in Seoul he shared with us that one day
in Seoul he shared with us that one day
in Seoul he shared with us that one day he wants to be able to go home go back
he wants to be able to go home go back
he wants to be able to go home go back to North Korea and help when it opens up
to North Korea and help when it opens up
to North Korea and help when it opens up although I don’t know exactly when that
although I don’t know exactly when that
although I don’t know exactly when that day will come we share that same
day will come we share that same
day will come we share that same audacious belief that the North Korean
audacious belief that the North Korean
audacious belief that the North Korean people will achieve their Liberty in our
people will achieve their Liberty in our
people will achieve their Liberty in our lifetime and that ordinary people like
lifetime and that ordinary people like
lifetime and that ordinary people like you and I have an opportunity and a
you and I have an opportunity and a
you and I have an opportunity and a responsibility to help bring that day
responsibility to help bring that day
responsibility to help bring that day forward I truly believe that one small
forward I truly believe that one small
forward I truly believe that one small act can change a life and then a
act can change a life and then a
act can change a life and then a collection of those small acts done
collection of those small acts done
collection of those small acts done around the world can change the fate of
around the world can change the fate of
around the world can change the fate of an entire nation hi amazing supports my
an entire nation hi amazing supports my
an entire nation hi amazing supports my name is min Seong I’m from North Korea
name is min Seong I’m from North Korea
name is min Seong I’m from North Korea thank you for supporting North Korean
thank you for supporting North Korean
thank you for supporting North Korean people I love you all over you
people I love you all over you
people I love you all over you thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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