Fundraising in Canada for North Korean refugees

By North Korean resettler Sungju Lee

“A man saving a life indeed is saving the world.”

Rescuing North Korean refugees in China is a great way to defend universal human rights and build a stable foundation for the coming reunification of North and South Korea. In order to elicit interest and increase awareness of our rescue efforts among Korean-Canadian communities, a refugee rescue activist and I visited Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Regina this May. Under the title “the reality of North Korea in the eyes of refugee rescue activity,” we cooperated with the NUAC (South Korea’s National Unification Advisory Council) in Vancouver to hold seminars and fundraising campaigns.

During the trip, we held lectures, discussions, displayed North Korean artifacts at Korean churches in Vancouver. We discussed various North Korean issues including its current circumstances, rescuing North Korean refugees in China, and defectors’ resettlement procedure in the South. During the discussion and Q&A session, we heard realistic advice to tackle the refugee issue. I also shared my own story about the agony of North Korean defectors in China.

Following the church visits, we had dinner with leaders of Vancouver’s Korean community and discussed the specifics of how North Korean refugees are rescued. Thanks to the positive energy and passion shown toward the issue, the community leaders promised to consistently support our rescue efforts. The next day was one of the highlights of the trip—we met an anonymous sponsor who pledged to match donations to rescue 50 North Korean refugees in China! I will never forget that wonderful moment.

In Edmonton and Calgary, we co-held seminars with NUAC. Many in the audience were startled at the reality of human rights in North Korea and passionately joined our fundraising campaign to rescue North Korean refugees. Another highlight of the trip was when I met Carly Rose Chislett at the seminar in Calgary. She is an 18-year-old high school student who engages in various activities for North Korean human rights with her friends. She told me how shocked she was when she first learned about the human rights situation in North Korea on the news. It was then that she decided to get involved. Even though it was just a short talk, I will never forget meeting her.

Throughout the entire trip, everyone was extremely supportive and encouraging. But the greatest part was that I came back to South Korea with a fund that will rescue more than 50 North Korean refugees in China. I am deeply grateful for everyone who supported our journey and contributed to our rescue fund. Thanks to their great efforts, over 50 North Korean refugees in China will experience freedom and safety. That is why I can say, without the slightest hesitation, that they are the real heroes who stepped forward to make this world a better place.