Acting as an ambassador for Unification Ministry’s North Korean Human Rights Promotion
“Extend a Helping Hand to the Darkest Corners”
“Actor Yu Ji-tae, serving as an ambassador for North Korean human rights promotion in the Unification Ministry, participated in the ‘2025 North Korean Human Rights International Dialogue’ jointly sponsored by the Unification Ministry and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Washington, DC on the 22nd (local time) and delivered a speech in English.”
“Yu introduced himself as having become interested in the North Korean human rights issue after being appointed as a World Vision ambassador in 2011.”
“He explained that his interest in North Korean human rights issues grew after observing the dire circumstances faced by North Korean residents as a Korean living on the Korean Peninsula, leading him to create a webtoon called ‘Ankkai’ last year, which shed light on the human rights situation of North Korean defectors.”
“‘Ankkai’ means ‘wife’ in Hamgyong dialect. Yu expressed his intention to widely publicize the tragedies unfolding in North Korea at this very moment through this webtoon.”
“Yu emphasized that the issue of North Korean human rights is often politicized due to its connection to North Korea, but he stressed that what they were addressing is about the people living in North Korea, appealing for a proactive approach to the issue.”
“He concluded by urging, ‘If there is any injustice in this world, let us not turn a blind eye, look away, or remain idle. Let us take action.’ He added, ‘I hope that our actions will heal the suffering of North Korean residents, even prompting the North Korean regime to acknowledge their pain.'”
“On this day, Minister of Unification Kim Yeong-ho also mentioned the approximately 34,000 North Korean defectors who have settled in South Korea, saying, ‘Through their testimonies, we have learned about the many tragic individuals who lost their lives while trying to escape from North Korea.’ He emphasized that the Unification Ministry will continue to provide unwavering support for the successful settlement of North Korean defectors.”
“Prior to the event, Minister Kim met with two North Korean defector representatives at the U.S. State Department, holding discussions with Kurt Campbell, National Security Council Senior Director for Indo-Pacific Affairs, and Julie Turner, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights, to discuss ways of cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea to prevent China from forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors.”