The Asianist

I received an e-mail from Suzanne Scholte of Defense Forum Foundation about a remarkable story of one North Korean refugee. I reproduce in entirety below:

She vowed to "crawl to South Korea" to reach freedom

Dear Friends:

I am very pleased to report that North Korean refugee Mrs. Park Soon-Hee and her son made it to Thailand and are now requesting to go to South Korea. Mrs. Park had lost the use of her feet due to severe beatings she received by North Korean police for the "crime" of leaving the country. She was one of the refugees highlighted at our August 20 demonstration at the Chinese embassy here in Washington, D.C., where her letter provided by Mr. Jae-Hyun Bae of the Citizens Coalition for Human Rights for Abductees and Korean Refugees, was read aloud as an example of the suffering of the North Korean refugees.

Although this is great news, Free North Korea Radio has reminded us this week of what fate awaits those who unlike Mrs. Park have not successfully made it out of China: They have obtained footage for the first time of the brutal beating of a North Korean woman by North Korean border guards. The woman's "crime" was leaving the country as she was caught when she crossed the border from China to go home. You can view pictures from the footage at the Chosun Ilbo website address below.

Suzanne

The full text of her letter is below.

Chosun Ilbo website for pictures of footage from video (link).

Mrs. Park Soon-Hee's letter to the world:

A Letter from a Refugee

"That b***** will try to run away to South Korea unless her feet and calves are rotted and crumbled," the prison guards used to say while mercilessly striking me. Each time I swore to myself, "I will crawl to the South, if I have to, and tell about today. I will tell all the crimes committed by this Kim Jong Il band." This resolve grew stronger each time they tormented me. Each day I watched my rotting feet and prayed this Kim band will soon rot away like my feet.

I used to live in a small town in Southern Hamgyong Province with my family until 2000 when my son and I defected to Jangchoon, China. After nearly 3 years of aimless life I started to go to South Korea through Mongolia. But I was arrested by Chinese police on my way and soon was repatriated to my hometown. When the police in my home town found out that I tried to go to the South they started to attack my body until I bled through my eyes and then trampled my already swollen feet. Soon my feet were severely injured and they started to rot.

The feet of Soon-hee Park (pic)

Before long my body turned blue and it began to swell making me look uglier than any human being or animal. The guards had fun while striking and trampling my body. About a month later the guards noticed I was getting worse with my body turning to black. They felt I was in the hopeless case and soon released me for home treatment.

After rest and treatment at home I decided to set out to China again with the help of two walking sticks. I starved and crawled but made to China.

When my son and his friends met me they cried holding my feet. But I didn't. Now I can have my feet treated and look for a chance to go to the South. It is my seventh month in China waiting for that chance. So far I only see the threat of Chinese police ready to jump on me at their first chance. The anxiety drives me nearly insane. Everyday I look at southern sky waiting, hoping and praying.

Please help me. Please help me to reach my dream. Please pray for me.

Soon-hee Park

The Citizen Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees (CHNK) sent her money to help her travel to the third country. A few days ago we learned it did not reach her. We will send again through a different route. (August 19, 2005)
UPDATE: SHE IS NOW SAFE IN THAILAND WITH HER SON! September 2005)

CHNK: Korea 011-82-2-325-3648, USA 703-388-2388