Born and Raised in a Concentration Camp: North Korean Defector Shin Dong-Hyuk Shares

Start: Monday, May 12, 2008 7:00 PM
End: Monday, May 12, 2008 8:15 PM

Location: Valley Life Science Building, Room 2040, UC Berkeley
2040 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720

Directions to Berkeley

Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) will be hosting North Korean defector Shin Dong-hyuk on a speaking tour entitled, "Born and Raised in a Concentration Camp." He will recount his experiences as a North Korean who was born into slavery as a political prisoner in a North Korean concentration camp. Shin was born on Nov. 19, 1982 and called the camp home until 2005. While at the camp, he endured daily beatings, torture, starvation-level rations, saw forced abortions and even witnessed the public execution of his mother and brother in 1996. Shin described his life of total isolation from the world: "In South Korea, although there is disappointment and sadness, there is also so much joy, happiness and comfort. In Kaechon, I did not even know such emotions existed. The only emotion I ever knew was fear: fear of beatings, fear of starvation, fear of torture and fear of death." LiNK's Executive Director Adrian Hong will accompany Shin on the tour and will be speaking about the broader issue of human rights in North Korea, as well as the current refugee situation and LiNK's resettlement activities. Liberty in North Korea is an international non-governmental organization devoted to human rights in North Korea and the protection of North Korean refugees.

6:45 PM Registration
7:00 Speakers: Shin Dong-Hyuk, North Korean defector
Adrian Hong, LiNK
8:00 Q&A

Speaker Biographies:

Shin Dong-hyuk: Mr. Shin was born and raised in Political Prison Camp No. 14 until his escape in 2005. Based in South Korea, he has testified before Britain's House of Lords, and published a book in 2007 entitled "I Was a Political Prisoner at Birth in North Korea" published by the DataBase Center for North Korean Human Rights. Mr. Shin aspires to attend college and hopes to become a policeman.

Adrian Hong: Adrian Hong currently serves as Executive Director of Liberty in North Korea, or LiNK, an international NGO devoted to human rights in North Korea, and the protection of North Korean refugees all over the world. In December of 2006, Mr. Hong was arrested along with 2 LiNK field workers and 6 North Korean refugees in the People's Republic of China and imprisoned before being released and deported.