’30-year North Korean human rights movement’ Professor Ogawa, Tokyo University
“Spreading the development of democracy in South Korea is the driving force for social change in North Korea; wasting time on the pro-North Korean tendency of the Moon administration”,
Professor Ogawa Haruhisa, an honorary professor at the University of Tokyo, is interviewed by Dong-A Ilbo at a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 21st. He has been active in the North Korean human rights movement for 30 years and was selected as the 3rd ‘Moolmangcho In’ winner. Reporter Kim Dong-ju [email protected], ‘“Currently, there are big and small acts of rebellion against the Kim Jong-un regime within North Korea. We must not miss this precious time.”‘,
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, ‘Professor Ogawa Haruhisa (小川晴久·84), an honorary professor at the University of Tokyo, stated this in an interview with Dong-A Ilbo held at a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 21st. Professor Ogawa has dedicated 30 years to the North Korean human rights movement and is recognized as the ‘founder of the North Korean human rights movement’ in Japan. He was selected as the 3rd ‘Moolmangcho In’ by the North Korean human rights organization Moolmangcho (Chairman Park Seon-young) and visited South Korea on the same day.’,
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, ‘Professor Ogawa recently focused on the current situation where despite North Korean authorities oppressing residents with laws against reactionary ideology and culture, the perception of the younger generation is changing due to the influx of South Korean culture. He emphasized the need for South Korea to continue efforts to promote the development of liberal democracy in North Korean society, stating that it could be a driving force for change in North Korea.’,
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, ‘Professor Ogawa pointed out that “North Korean authorities still do not acknowledge the existence of political prison camps. It’s an astonishing lie,” and criticized that “political prison camps continue to serve as bases for slave labor.” He mentioned a case where a Japanese individual who had been taken to a political prison camp in poor mental condition died just a month after being released.’,
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, ‘Regarding the efforts of the South Korean government on North Korean human rights issues, Professor Ogawa lamented, “It is regrettable that the forces that succeeded in the past democratization movement in South Korea have not spoken out about the human rights violations in North Korea.” He added, “Due to the pro-North Korean tendency of the Moon Jae-in administration, valuable time has not been effectively utilized and has been delayed in addressing North Korean human rights issues.” He also mentioned an incident where a South Korean organization called ‘North Korean Democratization Headquarters’ established in 2002 changed its name to ‘North Korean Democratic Movement Headquarters’ at the time because the government found it provocative towards North Korea.’,
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, ‘He was a Tokyo University student who was fascinated by Marxist-Leninist ideologies in the early 1960s and faithfully attended a gathering supporting the repatriation of Koreans to the North. In August 1993, he became aware of the existence of political prison camps in North Korea and founded the group ‘Protecting the Lives and Human Rights of Repatriated North Koreans’ in Japan in 1994. This was two years before the establishment of South Korea’s first North Korean human rights organization, the ‘North Korean Human Rights Citizens’ Alliance’ in 1996. In 2008, he established the organization ‘No Fence’ advocating for the abolition of North Korean political prison camps, and has been actively engaged in activities such as lectures ever since.’,
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