Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, compiled these statements from interviews with refugees studying in TNKR.
Ken, escaped to South Korea in 2010
North Korea was trying to test Donald Trump but he is a different kind of president, he's more of a businessman and he doesn't think about politics. He canceled the summit, but I think it would be more accurate to say it has been postponed.
He is a businessman, so if the terms of the deal change, then he will return to the negotiation table. If it looks like a deal won't happen, then he will do what he said: Walk away from the table. North Korea probably thought it could get away with the same tactics it used with other U.S. presidents, that they could push him. So I'm not disappointed, I see this as being part of Trump's negotiation process.
Hye-yoon, female, escaped to South Korea in 2011
Really? I didn't know. I hadn't heard about Trump canceling the summit. Now that I know, I can say that I am disappointed. I am not optimistic that North Korean will change until it has no choice, but at least having a summit could have been the start of that change.
Lee Sa-hee, escaped to South Korea in 2010
My mother asked me to read Trump's letter to her. As I was reading it, I came across the words "sadly" and then a word I didn't know: "Detrimental." I was literally shocked.
Some people might say that Trump is unpredictable, but I also think Trump is the only man in the world who can deal with Kim Jong Un. People want things done the conventional way, but then the results will be the same. Trump is being different, using a different strategy.
I did have to think about the consequences of this, if I should stay here. The result will be either great: reunification and freedom for North Koreans. Or it will be terrible, a war. I assume the meeting will be held later. This is probably Trump still negotiating. I feel sorry for the main people trying to make this happen. I just try to be optimistic, I hope they won't push the button.
Ken, escaped to South Korea in 2010
North Korea was trying to test Donald Trump but he is a different kind of president, he's more of a businessman and he doesn't think about politics. He canceled the summit, but I think it would be more accurate to say it has been postponed.
He is a businessman, so if the terms of the deal change, then he will return to the negotiation table. If it looks like a deal won't happen, then he will do what he said: Walk away from the table. North Korea probably thought it could get away with the same tactics it used with other U.S. presidents, that they could push him. So I'm not disappointed, I see this as being part of Trump's negotiation process.
Hye-yoon, female, escaped to South Korea in 2011
Really? I didn't know. I hadn't heard about Trump canceling the summit. Now that I know, I can say that I am disappointed. I am not optimistic that North Korean will change until it has no choice, but at least having a summit could have been the start of that change.
Lee Sa-hee, escaped to South Korea in 2010
My mother asked me to read Trump's letter to her. As I was reading it, I came across the words "sadly" and then a word I didn't know: "Detrimental." I was literally shocked.
Some people might say that Trump is unpredictable, but I also think Trump is the only man in the world who can deal with Kim Jong Un. People want things done the conventional way, but then the results will be the same. Trump is being different, using a different strategy.
I did have to think about the consequences of this, if I should stay here. The result will be either great: reunification and freedom for North Koreans. Or it will be terrible, a war. I assume the meeting will be held later. This is probably Trump still negotiating. I feel sorry for the main people trying to make this happen. I just try to be optimistic, I hope they won't push the button.
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