On July 13, 2025, the Washington branch of the Alliance for Korea United (President Yusook Kim) hosted the 2nd North Korean Defectors’ Day Commemoration Ceremony, featuring a special lecture and a North Korean human rights art exhibition. The event took place at the Korean Community Center in Virginia, drawing an audience of about 80 people, including defectors.
The keynote speech was delivered by Olivia Enos, Senior Researcher at the Hudson Institute and a well-known expert on North Korean human rights. Enos stressed:
“The issues of human rights in North Korea and security threats are by no means separate. The regime uses repression as a means of maintaining power and generating foreign currency. Civil society and the international community must raise their voices louder.”
She further emphasized that “North Korean people rely on the governments and civil societies of Seoul and Washington for human rights protection, not on their regime.”
In her welcoming remarks, President Kim Yusook stated:
“The liberation of North Koreans, suffering under a three-generational dictatorship, oppressed in their freedoms and beliefs, is a moral duty for all of us.”
Suzanne Scholte delivering her remarks
Jeon Soo-jin and Kim Ji-hyang sharing testimonies
Jang Gil-soo’s crayon drawings on display
Remarks were delivered by Suzanne Scholte, President of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, highlighting the significance of the day and reaffirming the need for ongoing advocacy on behalf of those still inside North Korea. Her comments honored the courage of the defectors and set a tone of solidarity that echoed throughout the ceremony. The program also featured moving testimonies from defectors Jeon Soo-jin, a Washington resident, and Kim Ji-hyang, a Fulbright scholar studying in the United States. Their powerful accounts shed light on the harsh realities of life under the regime and the difficult paths they took to reach freedom, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present.
Adding a visual dimension to the program, Jang Gil-soo, a defector who escaped with his family in 2001, presented an artwork exhibition of crayon drawings that vividly depicted daily life in North Korea. His illustrations conveyed emotions and details that words alone could not capture, providing attendees with a striking visual testimony to accompany the speeches and stories shared during the ceremony.
The event gathered 13 defectors, including students from Korea and the U.S., and local leaders such as Kim Deok-man, President of the Virginia Korean Association, Jeong Hyun-sook, President of the Korean Association of Maryland, and Kang Myung-hee, President of the Association of Korean American Women.
Full text of Olivia Enos’ speech: Hudson Institute Website