By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea – In an effort to raise awareness of North Korea’s human rights abuses, a Korean-American rights activist illegally crossed a river into North Korea from China.

Activist Robert Park during an interview.  Courtesy of Reuters.

The 28 year-old activist, Robert Park, heads a coalition of about 100 groups which works to shed light on North Korean defectors and the rights abuses within North Korea.

Park crossed the Tumen River near the northeast border city of Hoeryong on Christmas Day carrying a letter for the North’s leader Kim Jong-il.  Witnesses said Park shouted, “I am an American citizen.  I am bringing God’s love,” as he crossed the Tumen River.  Witnesses said Park was not stopped by the North Korean border guards.

The letter he was carrying is said to include demands for opening the tightly-controlled border so that North Korea can receive shipment of food and medical aid as well as a request to close all political concentration camps.

Park was reported to have said he would carry a message calling for Kim Jong-il to step down as the North Korean leader and for compensation to the rights abuses victims.

In an interview with Reuters earlier this week, Park said he felt that it was his duty as a Christian to make this journey to North Korea and that he did not want the U.S. government to try freeing him. 

He added that he would prefer to be arrested so as to pressure the governments of the U.S., South Korea and Japan to improve North Korea’s human rights record and to address the suffering of innocent North Koreans.

Park said, “Through the media and through sacrifice[,] we are looking for the global leaders to be forced to give an account.  There is no excuse.”

In addition, Park commented, “Until the concentration camps are liberated, I do not want to come out.  If I have to die with them, I will.” 

North Korea has not released any statements concerning Park.
For more information, please see:

Reuters – U.S. rights activist crosses into North Korea: reports – 25 December 2009

UPI – Rights activist crosses into North Korea – 26 December 2009

Yonhap News – Activist breaches N. Korea border for human rights campaign: activists – 26 December 2009