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| Freedom Speakers International (FSI) co-founders Lee Eun-koo, left, and Casey Lartigue Jr., second from left, are joined by FSI staffer Kang Da-hye, right, to celebrate the one-year-anniversary that North Korean refugee author Kim Eun-ju has been a full-time staffer at FSI, in this June 27 photo. Courtesy of Casey Lartigue Jr. |
By Kim Eun-ju
On June 27th, Freedom Speakers International (FSI) surprised me with a celebration to mark the one-year anniversary since I began as a staff member. I originally joined the FSI as an accountant but was recently promoted to North Korea Communication Specialist, a special position that was custom-designed for me.
The anniversary inspired me to reflect on my time since I escaped from North Korea, and the promotion has me thinking more deeply about how I can make a bigger contribution to improving North Korean human rights.
I first arrived in South Korea empty-handed. During the process of settling down, I received a lot of assistance from the government and civic organizations. I had nothing to offer them, but I realized that some people wanted to hear about my life in North Korea and escape to South Korea. I began sharing my story with anyone who wanted to listen. At first, I could only tell others about my experience by giving interviews and testimonies. Through sharing my memories and experiences, I established my identity as a North Korean defector and objectively discussed human rights issues in North Korea to the best of my ability.
The stories of North Korean defectors serve as crucial evidence for understanding North Korean society and the state of human rights there. They also serve as a driving force behind human rights activism related to North Korea. When these stories become widely known beyond South Korea and reach the international community, we can get closer to finding solutions to the problem. That's why the role of an organization like FSI is so important. North Korean refugees sharing our stories in English with the international community enhances our individual capabilities while raising awareness globally about the situation in North Korea.
The FSI is a non-governmental organization that does not hold any political or religious affiliation and does not primarily focus on improving the state of human rights in North Korea. Its focus is on North Korean defectors as individuals, providing us with opportunities to share our stories. These stories range from experiences of extreme suffering, such as hunger and human trafficking, to happy memories of innocent childhood play. As such, the FSI aims to raise awareness about the real North Korea through the diverse experiences of North Korean defectors. It values the experiences of all defectors and strives to provide equal opportunities to everyone.
I am engaged in human rights activities for North Korea beyond the scope of repaying South Korean society. I have a sense of responsibility to improve the state of human rights in North Korea. I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with the FSI to make a contribution to the accomplishment of this goal.
I want to express my gratitude to FSI co-President Lee Eun-koo, who cherishes and cares for North Korean defectors like family, and to FSI co-President Casey Lartigue, who holds three to four meetings per day mentoring North Korean defectors to improve their communications skills.
I also want to thank the supporters who have helped the FSI grow. Your encouragement helps me and the entire FSI staff as we strive to undertake more tasks for the benefit of North Korean defectors and to achieve a better society. I first came to South Korea empty-handed with nothing to offer, but I now feel that I am doing truly meaningful work that can help others as I was once helped.
Kim Eun-ju is the North Korean Refugee Communications Specialist at Freedom Speakers International. Her memoir, "A Thousand Miles to Freedom," is available in seven different languages, including French, English and Korean. Lee Dan-bi translated this blog post from Korean to English and it was edited for publication by Mike Donmoyer, co-Manager of Publications at FSI.
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