Save Kim Yong Hwa
Defector given asylum in South after 14 years - Kim Young-Hwa's 14-year odyssey finally ended Friday as the South Korean government recognized him as a North Korean defector and granted him asylum, JoongAng Ilbo, March 01, 2002
Original story:
Ten years ago Mr. Kim Yong Hwa had a bad day in North Korea that never seems to have ended. As a security officer he supervised train traffic that happened to include a train carry a shipment of gold sand to Pyongyang at the behest of Kim Il Sung. The shipment was delayed due to mechanical problems of the locomotive. As a result, he was sentenced to prison camp, escaped to China, then walked to Vietnam, escaped back to China and finally arrived in South Korea.
Due to misunderstandings and possibly irresponsible promises made to him, this spring Kim Yong Hwa found himself having to flee once more. This time he is in custody in Japan - waiting possible deportation to China as a "Chinese national" where he will certainly be handed over to the North Koreans and executed as a "traitor."
Due to a last minute legal appeal on July 9th, he has been given by Japanese authorities until approximately the end of July to prove that he is a North Korean national.
On July 19th, the Tokyo Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) formally agreed to appeal to Amnesty International to review Mr. Kim's case.
To learn more about this true life saga, please visit the below hot links:
August 11th Update - the latest status report
Translated Japanese Immigration Court Transcripts - detailed accounts of his struggles in North Korea, China, South Korea and now Japan to be a free man. Also, this accounts offers unnerving insights into the lives of many North Koreans
Letter of Appeal to Save Kim Yong Hwa - from the Help Kim Yong Hwa Committee, Tokyo that offers advice to supporters of what to do
Personal Statement - English translation of June 30th statement by Kim Yong Hwa
Last Testimony of Kim Yong Hwa - Christian witness written the day prior to his anticipated deportation
Nixing Political Asylum - July 8th Pacific News wire story
Kim Yong Hwa Update - July 9th
The Life of Kim Yong Hwa - The story of his flight from North Korea.
Given the brevity of our exposure anything we report must be prefaced with the caveat, "to the best of our knowledge the following is true." There is much of which we have had to accept as being probably true that would in a court of law be classified as only hearsay evidence.
Given the circumstances and the information that key decision makers are acting upon in both Korea and Japan, we cannot criticize these government officials. Rather, our approach has been to positively and affirmatively try to help government officers find a better resolution than they have so far have been able to develop. We are equally on the sides of the immigration officials of Japan and Korea as we are on the side of Mr. Kim. In short, we are looking for a "triple win" for Mr. Kim, the Republic of Korea and the Government of Japan. We still think it may be possible for such a solution if Amnesty International's London office or the Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program can find a refuge for Mr. Kim outside of this region.
Mr.Kim's support organization consists entirely of unpaid volunteers who are not critical of anyone. We are only trying to help one person who has not committed any major crimes other than illegally leaving North and then South Korea. Clearly this man does not deserve certain execution for his past actions.
We are strongly urging people who wish to see this man live to send messages to the below asking for review of the case and search for a country of refuge outside of China, Korea and Japan:
Amnesty International's London Office
99-119 Rosebery Ave
London EC1R 4RE
Phone +44 171 814 6200
Fax +44 171 833 1510
E-mail info@amnesty.org.uk Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program
(Church World Service is a ministry of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.)
Church World Service
28606 Phillips Street
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515
Phone +1 (800) 297-1516 -- Fax +1 (219) 262-0966
HOTLINE (800) 456-1310, for a recorded message
- or -
Church World Service
475 Riverside Drive, Room 678
New York, NY 10115
Phone +1 (212) 870-2257 -- Fax +1 (212) 870-3523
- in either case,
E-mail is jane@ncccusa.orgUnited Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
Swiss World Headquarters
Tel: +41-22-739-8111
Fax: +41-22-739-7346Please remember we have only a few days or weeks to resolve this matter.
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Updated August 11, 1998
