On Sept. 19, 27-year-old Tae Woo was able to escape the North Korean dictatorship. He managed to cross the border through arduous means and go to South Korea.
After escaping, Woo did not have any money or resources to survive. However, Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), a North American organization supporting humanitarian crises in North Korea, stepped in and financially aided Woo, giving him a chance to a new life.
Woo’s situation is not unique. With the help of LiNK many refugees have hope for a better life.
On Oct. 26, LiNK held a presentation in the school cafeteria that told students about escapees like Woo. The presentation, organized by senior Jane Chang, aimed to spread awareness to students unaware of the harsh conditions in North Korea.
Chang was motivated to present LiNK to the school because of her own ancestral history.
“I planned this event because I wanted to help spread the word of the injustices and cruelties the North Korean people have to face,” Chang said. “I am Korean, and my grandfather was a South Korean officer during the Korean War. My grandfather shepherded the rest of my family back to South Korea. So for me, North Korea has always been a personal issue close to heart.”
The presentation included a documentary, which revolved around a refugee named Danny. At the event, presenters from the organization answered students’ questions.
Chang believed that the presentation was informational as it was a topic that not many students know about.
“There were about 50 to 60 students who attended the event and even though most of them came initially because their history teachers offered extra credit, by the end it was clear that a lot of them were touched by the stories.”
Junior Brandon Nguyen was one of theses students. “I think it is a really cool cause because the situation in North Korea is something we don’t know too much about and it’s really an eye opener that something can be happening like this right now,” said Nguyen.
Chang hopes that the effects of the presentation will stay with the students for a long time.
“By hosting a screening like this, I hope that people will learn about how bad the people's crisis really is and join me fighting for change and freedom,” said Chang.
