The Bush Institute continues its work to support freedom in North Korea and shed light on the oppression of the North Korean people
Dallas, Texas—This week, the George W. Bush Institute welcomed 12 North Korean refugees to Dallas to participate in the organization’s third annual North Korean Human Rights Workshop, where they developed their leadership and advocacy skills. The refugees – who are recipients of the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship and Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) advocacy fellows – shared their insights into the plight of North Korean escapees and how the North Korean Human Rights Act opened opportunities for them.
On Oct. 18, 2004, President George W. Bush signed the North Korean Human Rights Act into law, providing humanitarian assistance to North Koreans living inside the country. The act also provided humanitarian and legal assistance to North Koreans who fled the country to start a new life in the United States. Research Fellow at the Bush Institute Joseph Kim, a Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship recipient and workshop participant himself, was one of the first refugees to come to the U.S. under the act.
“The North Korean Human Rights Act was life-changing for me,” Kim said. “After escaping the horrors of North Korea, I arrived to the U.S. in 2007 to build a life based on hope and freedom. It’s been incredible to see fellow escapees at the Bush Institute this week who are building meaningful lives in America because of the support they are receiving.”
The Bush Institute’s experts are available to speak about the history and importance of the North Korean Human Rights Act and the need to reauthorize the law, which expired in 2022. They can also discuss the work being done through the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship and North Korean Human Rights Workshop to support the North Korean community living in the U.S.
“The Bush Institute is continually working to advance freedom and promote human rights in North Korea,” said Igor Khrestin, the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy at the Bush Institute. “The U.S. must prioritize confronting authoritarian regimes in North Korea and around the world and supporting the brave people who escape the hermit kingdom.”
In 2023, the Bush Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies published a policy paper urging the administration, Congress, the international community, and the United Nations to take action to weaken China and Russia’s ability to facilitate North Korea’s human rights abuses. Read the report here. For more information about the Bush Institute’s work on supporting freedom in North Korea, visit bushcenter.org/northkorea.
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About the George W. Bush Institute
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day. Learn more at bushcenter.org.
