Rep. Young Kim Champions Urgent Renewal of North Korea Human Rights Act

and collaborate with her colleagues to facilitate the act's reauthorization. Susan Scholte, who leads the North Korea Freedom Coalition and the Defense Forum Foundation, mentioned that Senator Tim Kaine is preparing to introduce a Senate counterpart to the House bill. Kim remarked that human rights conditions in North Korea have not only remained stagnant for decades but have, in some respects, deteriorated. "Despite the passage of time, nothing has changed. In fact, the North Korean populace is now more aware of the outside world than ever, while crackdowns on foreign media have intensified," she stated. She contended that any substantial change in North Korea must be driven from within, fueled by the dissemination of information. "If there is to be regime change, it must originate from within, starting with individuals like those present here who share information via broadcasting," Kim explained. The defectors at the roundtable shared their harrowing experiences of life in North Korea and their journeys to escape. One defector recounted how he came to grasp the true nature of the regime through foreign radio broadcasts, which ultimately spurred his decision to flee. Another detailed her detention in Russia after unintentionally drifting into its waters while fishing and her subsequent appeal for help from human rights groups, made possible by exposure to South Korean media through USB drives. Others spoke of losing family members to starvation, enduring forced labor, and being trafficked into China before eventually finding refuge in South Korea. One defector shared her ordeal of being forcibly sent back to North Korea eight times, separated from her young child whose whereabouts remain unknown. Kim Ji-young, head of Free North Korea Radio, presented survey findings from 75 defectors who arrived in South Korea post-2022. She indicated that 66% reported accessing foreign broadcasts at least once a week, which fueled their aspirations for freedom and motivated their escape. All respondents acknowledged that North Korea's notorious "three major repressive laws" reflect the regime's fears of instability and its efforts to maintain an authoritarian grip. Kim also raised alarms regarding defectors in China, highlighting cases where children born to North Korean women and Chinese fathers are left without citizenship, as well as reports of Chinese authorities employing AI-based facial recognition to locate and repatriate defectors. One participant said she has refrained from traveling to China due to fears of being abducted or poisoned, noting that South Korean authorities have advised her against such visits. Representative James Moylan emphasized the necessity for the United States and South Korea to enhance collaboration to effect meaningful change in North Korea without further delays spanning decades. In an interview with Voice of America, Moylan noted that radio broadcasting serves as a powerful instrument for change, asserting that increased access to information, alongside support from advocacy organizations and the U.S., could drive transformative efforts.