Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (ROK) and HanVoice (Canada) are delighted to invite you to our 10th International Conference on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees, which will be held between August 21st and 22nd in Toronto, Canada.

The conference was held for the first time in December 1999 in Seoul. This was followed by conferences hosted in Tokyo, Prague, Warsaw, Bergen, London and Melbourne. The annual conferences have been raising international awareness of North Korean human rights and refugee issues.

The host country of the 10th International Conference is Canada. It has been a leading nation that protects and advocates the rights of ethnic minorities and immigrants. Furthermore, Canada has been fervently promoting North Korean human rights and welcoming North Korean refugees into its territory.  

Canadian governmental officials, NGO activists and the media have expressed their deep interest in the upcoming international conference.

We would appreciate your participation in this meaningful event for improving North Korean human rights and refugee issues and join in the passion of the international community.

July 2010

Benjamin H. Yoon                                                                       Randall Baran-Chang
Founder & Chairman                                                                  Representative
Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights                    HanVoice

Preliminary Agenda
Language of proceedings: English/Korean

 
Saturday, 21 August (open to public)

08:30 Registration
 
09:30 Opening Session           
            Moderator of Conference Proceeding: Simon Park, HanVoice, Canada 
         
            Opening Remarks
             Benjamin H. Yoon, Founder & Chairman, Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, ROK
            Welcoming Speech
             Randall Baran-Chong, Representative, HanVoicie, Canada 
             Carl Gershman President, National Endowment for Democracy, USA 
            Congratulatory Speech
             Michaelle Jean (Written), Governor General of Canada
             Hon. Jason Kenny (Written), Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, Canada
             Dalton McGuinty (Written), Premier of Ontario, Canada
             Keynote Speech
             Deepak Obhrai, MP, Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs            
            Special Remarks
             Hon. Barry Devolin, Member of Parliament, Canada
            
 
10:30 Session 1 : Human Rights in North Korea between Obstacles & Opportunity
           Moderator: Erich Weingartner, Editor of the CanKor Report, Canada
           Pervasive State of Fear in the Country 
            Man-ho Heo, Professor, Kyungpook National University, ROK
           Changing Perception of North Korean Population
            Katy Kongdan Oh Hassig, Researcher, Institute for Defense Analysis, USA
           Testimony of NK defector
            Young Cheol Kim, Former Officer at Ministry of people’s Safety in the DPRK, Escaped and Entered 
                                            South Korea in February of 2008
           Q & A
 
12:30 Lunch
 

13:30 Session 2  Experience of North Korean Refugees in Transit & Asylum Countries
            Moderator: Dr. Sun-Young Park, MP, Liberty Forward Party, ROK 

            Legal Grounds for Protection of North Korean refugees 
             Roberta Cohen, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution, USA
            Human For Sale: Situation of Trafficked North Korean Women
             Won-Woong Lee, Professor, Social Welfare Studies, Kwandong University, ROK 
            Children from Nowhere: Stateless Children in China
             Kay Seok, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch, ROK
            Testimony of NK Refugee
             Miran Kim, Hair Dresser in the DPRK, Escaped from the country on 3rd of April, 2007 and entered
                                       South Korea  in March of 2008 
             Resettlement Process & Experiences of countries accepting North Korean refugees: 
                                                                        issues with resettlement and integration in final destination
              South Korea: Yun Sook Park, Professor at World Cyber University, ROK
              Canada: Young-Lee Ha, Korean Canadian Women’s Association, Canada
              US: Hannah Song, Executive Director, LiNK, USA
              Japan: Kate Nielsen, Director of International Relations, life funds for North Korean Refugees, 
                                                Japan              
              Q & A
 
16:00   Break
 

16:20 Session 3  Strategies for the Improvement of Human Rights in North Korea and 
         Protection of Refugees
            Moderator: Hon. Barry Devolin, Member of Parliament, Canada 

            Maintaining Momentum and Commitment of International Sopciety
             Pam Shime, Researcher, Global Advocacy & Leadership Institute
           
             Jack Kim, Advisor, HanVoice, Canada
             Joanna Hosaniak, Head of International Campaign & Cooperation Team NKHR, ROK
             Kate Nielsen, Director of International Relations, life funds for North Korean Refugees, Japan
             N.C. Heikin, Director of Documentary Film, “Kinjongilia(2009)”, USA
             Q & A

18:30 Closing Ceremony

Sunday, 22 August (Invited Guests Only)

10:00~13:00 Action Plan & Strategy Meeting 
             Moderator: Suk-Woo Kim, President, 21st Nation Development Institute, ROK
                               Barry Devolin, Member of Parliament, Canada 

 
          Part I   Constructive Engagement for Improving human Rights
                      in the Country                             
          Part II  Relevant Migration Act regarding Refugees including North Korean 
                     Human Rights Act and the Need of Protection for North Korean
                     Refugees

             Overall discussions