Monday, June 9, 2014

Defector passion

To be on North Korea's hit list would be pretty intimidating.  Park Sang Hak, defector since 1999, is number one on that list.

He uses a no-tech  method to undermine the government.   Balloons, of all things, are launched from across the border in South Korea. They're loaded with leaflets "light as tissue paper but waterproof" which inform people of North Korea about the freer life that exists outside of their country.


photo:  humanrightsfoundation.org

Park says, "North Korea is surrounded by an iron curtain, so information can't get in . . But this way, using the sky, it can't be stopped."  

Those balloons are "double-walled greenhouse plastic", "very cheap and very sturdy," says Park, "I should get a patent."  Their messages include leaflets insulting "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il, whom he hopes will some day be overthrown by the people.

In 2008, the death threats started.  

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