Defector calls for focus on human rights
THE North Korean defector whose harrowing story was used by Donald Trump to highlight the brutality of Kim Jong-un’s regime during his State of the Union address has urged the US presi- dent to hammer home the issue of human rights at tomorrow’s summit.
Ji Seong-ho, 35, who lost his leg and hand in an accident before escaping North Korea in 2006, is among thousands of defectors who anxiously hope human rights will not be sidelined in the race to abolish Kim’s nuclear weapons. He believes the summit could be a step towards reunifying the Peninsula.
Mr Ji was a guest of honour at the president’s January speech to Congress, and hailed by Mr Trump as “an inspiration.” The president described how Mr Ji was a “starving boy” 22 years ago when he tried to steal coal from a train to barter for food: “He passed out on the tracks, exhausted from hunger, and woke up as a train ran over his limbs.”
Despite his disabilities, Mr Ji still managed to flee North Korea across the Tumen river, and made his way across China on crutches, before reaching South Korea. His family followed, but his father was caught and killed.
Recalling the standing ovation he received from US legislators this year, he told The Daily Telegraph: “I could barely hold back the tears when I lifted up my crutches to the audience. The people who were attending are the people who will shape America’s future with the laws they make.”
Mr Ji’s calls for human rights to be at the centre of talks with the North Korean regime have been backed by advocacy groups around the world, who fear the issue will take a back seat to nuclear non-proliferation.
As many as 130,000 North Koreans are believed to be in labour camps and the regime has been accused of arbitrary arrests, torture and forced labour.