From fashion factory to farm in Yanji, China
Sometimes you start your day interviewing a Korean fashion designer in her factory and you end your day picking corn and hot peppers with her at her small farm about an hour outside the city. Johanna and I spent a full and fun day with Ryu Sung-ok but the full report will have to wait until later. I need to go to sleep because we’re getting up at 2:45 am to join Ryu and her employees on a very early picnic. We’re still not quite sure why this outing starts before sunrise. It should be interesting!
Yanji Church
While out for a walk today I happened upon Yanji Church, which was fined $7500 by the Chinese government in 2005 for harboring North Korean refugees. I didn’t come here to find North Korea refugee-related stories but they seem to find me anyway.
I’m speaking at Georgetown U. tonight!
The Friendship Bridge spans the Yalu River from Dandong, China, to Sinuiju, North Korea
Just a friendly reminder that I’ll be speaking at Georgetown University tonight as part of the panel “Crossing Over: A Dialogue with North Korean Defectors.” I’ll kick off the event with my photo essay on North Korean refugees adjusting to life in South Korea, a project I completed with a Fulbright grant. Hope to see you tonight!
WHEN: Thursday, April 30, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
WHERE: Georgetown University, Car Barn Building, 3520 Prospect St NW, 4th Floor Student Lounge
COST: Free!
I’ll be speaking at Georgetown U. about North Korean defectors
I’m excited and honored to be part of a Georgetown University panel discussion on Thursday, April 30, about North Korea and North Korean defectors.
Of course North Korea is in the news right now – as it often is – due to its long-range missile tests. Other popular news stories concern its nuclear weapons posturing, Kim Jong-Il, the mass games and defectors crossing the North Korean border to China. One topic that gets lost amidst all these more sensational stories is what happens to people who leave North Korea, hide in China for a bit and then come to South Korea? What are these peoples’ lives like? Now’s your chance to find out.
I’ll open the discussion at 6:30 pm with my photo essay on two North Korean women adjusting to life in Seoul. Then Kim Young-il and Han Young-jin, two defectors, will talk about their lives and take questions from the audience. This is sure to be an incredibly interesting evening, so come on out. We’ll be at 3520 Prospect St. NW in the Carbarn Building, 4th floor student lounge. For more information, check out this flyer or just leave a comment here.
(Above: That's me photographing while snowshoeing through a snowstorm. Picture by