‘North Korea Freedom Week’ Aims to Repeal the ‘Balloon Propaganda Ban’

Kim Sung-min

Chairman of Preparatory Committee for the 20th North Korea Freedom Week

The North Korea Freedom Week, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is a movement dedicated to the freedom and liberation of North Korea. NGOs from domestic and international communities, driven by their love for the people of North Korea and their opposition to the Kim Jong-un regime, have been actively participating in this movement, alternating between Washington, D.C. and Seoul since 2004.

Photo: North Korea Freedom Week’s website

Susan Scholte, the initiator and chairperson of North Korea Freedom Alliance, defines North Korea Freedom Week as follows: "North Korea Freedom Week is a movement for the freedom and liberation of North Korean people, centered around North Korean defectors. The idea of North Korea Freedom Week originated from North Korean defectors who were proclaiming the freedom of North Korea in front of the U.S. Congress in 2004."

Suzanne Scolte, North Korean human rights representative, and human rights activists chanting for 'Free North Korea' at Seoul Station Square on April 28, 2012. / Photo by Esther Pray Movement Headquarters

She emphasizes that North Korean defectors, who were once residents of North Korea and thus have a deep understanding of the people's oppressed lives, should take the lead in this movement. She also calls for support and participation from freedom-loving citizens worldwide to support and encourage North Korean defectors' mission to save North Korea.

Not only South Korea but also activists for North Korean human rights from Japan and Europe have responded to this movement. North Korean defectors who have been observers in testimonies, evidence, and events related to North Korean human rights have highlighted the importance of North Korean human rights and unification in Washington, D.C., and Seoul.

During North Korea Freedom Week, defectors push for the North Korean Human Rights Act in Congress while highlighting issues like forced repatriation, political prison camps, and propaganda dissemination to North Korea.

They have had six White House visits, met with President George W. Bush, Vice President Mike Pence, and officials from the National Security Council. They have also attended hearings in the Senate and House of Representatives, exposing the nature of the Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un regimes and advocating for North Korean human rights.

During certain years of North Korea Freedom Week, they visited the North Korean mission in New York to condemn the representatives collaborating with the North Korean regime. They also forcefully expelled North Korean diplomats from the conference hall at the UN Headquarters for their disregard of the Kim Jong-un regime.

However, the journey has been challenging. North Korean defectors exposing Kim Jong-un's dictatorship have faced threats from North Korean authorities and obstacles from pro-North Korean regimes, endangering their visits to the United States.

As the 20th North Korea Freedom Week approaches, the event in Seoul, South Korea, scheduled from September 17th to 23rd, continues to focus on achieving its longstanding goals.

“End the Balloon Propaganda Ban to ensure the free flow of information and promote democratic consciousness among the people of North Korea.”

The Balloon Propaganda Ban, also known as the "Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act" enacted in 2021 by the Moon Jae-in administration, reflects Moon's pro-North Korea stance and directly impacts the freedom and livelihoods of the North Korean people.

By preventing residents from accessing external information, the North Korean authorities maintain their regime while simultaneously indoctrinating distorted historical perceptions and idolizing their leaders. We must not allow such oppressive control and regulation to hinder the movement for North Korean freedom, which aims to dismantle the information control system of the North Korean authorities and show the residents a bright and free world.

The core agenda of the 20th North Korea Freedom Week should prioritize the arguments presented by North Korean defectors, emphasizing the importance of the right to information for the people of North Korea. Let the voice of justice be heard on the streets of Seoul, Paju, and Ganghwa: "North Korean people need the right to know more than food."