North Korea News

Letter from the Director

Dear Friends,

It has been nearly three years since a group of citizens were told of the tragedies of the North Korean people and committed to speaking on behalf of them. People all over the world hear of such injustices daily and yet move on with their lives as if they knew nothing.

But this group was different; and from it sprang an organization today known as LiNK – Liberty in North Korea. A collection of passionate citizens and humanitarians from all backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life, united in the common conviction of conscience that men and women everywhere are born free, and deserve liberty.

Since March 2004, LiNK has grown tremendously. We now measure nearly 100 chapters worldwide- from all parts of the United States, to Asia, Europe, and even Australia. Many have answered the call and spoken up for the North Korean people, with great successes. LiNK has briefed and advocated to the highest levels of governments and agencies around the world, and its exploits have been covered in press ranging from high school newsletters to the Wall Street Journal.

Over the past few months at LiNK Headquarters, we have continued to engage, rather heavily, in advocacy and field operations, particularly underground railroad activities, and even aspects of resettlement and policy- and our hope is to continue to devote much more of our attention and time to these projects. More importantly, LiNK leadership has been spending this important time analyzing where LiNK is now, successes and mistakes of the past, and working to push LiNK to new heights.

We begin our fourth year of existence with a new LiNK- streamlined and solidified, and strengthened as an organization. You will see a brand new website, a restructured headquarters office and its affiliates, new material and information, as well as exciting new projects.

As part of these important changes, we will be making a significant change in our overall infrastructure. LiNK will be moving from a chapter structure to a broader membership/network structure. In other words, effective April 1st, 2007, all LiNK chapters will transition out and former chapter members will shift into the broader LiNK membership base. We foresee this as an opportunity to cut out the steps and relays in between to get to the conscientious citizen on the ground quicker when we are in need of a broad, rapid-response, and also help us to have a better understanding of the scope and depth of our grassroots support in a much larger context. Instead of 100 chapters all having separate events at separate times with separate targets- ALL of LiNK will participate on the same day for the same event, thereby multiplying our impact exponentially, and allowing for national and international attention and coordination.

Following this new strategy, our first event will be our Fast for NK- an international fast of concerned citizens for the North Korean human rights and humanitarian crisis, on April 11, 2007. We encourage all of you to participate, and chapters to participate together as well! We will continue to hold exciting international events and initiatives throughout the year, most efficiently and effectively using LiNK's large grassroots base to bring about real, tangible changes in policy and on the ground. With the new structure, the individual and local groups will make a stronger impact and take part in the movement at large in meaningful ways.

We are excited to see what the new year will bring. The movement is at a critical juncture and all of us here at LiNK headquarters believe that major changes are on the horizon. It is our job to make sure they are positive changes, and that they come as expediently as possible.

We look forward to continuing our work with all of you as partners in this cause to bring liberty to North Korea.

Onwards and upwards!

Adrian Hong
Executive Director