Only hours after the last event at the UN Human Rights Council, the PSCORE team was already boarding the plane to its next stop: the UK. While the focus of our work in Geneva had been on supplementing the work of the Commission of Inquiry, the UK trip offered PSCORE many great opportunities to raise awareness for the ongoing atrocities in the DPRK among both the public and policymakers.
After arriving at Heathrow Airport, the PSCORE team travelled to world-famous University of Oxford for its first event. At Oxford, they were warmly welcomed at the university’s Oriental Institute, where PSCORE founder and director Kim Young-Il held a seminar about his experiences escaping from North Korea and human rights in the DPRK.
The next day, a day-long visit to Radley College was scheduled for Young-Il and the team. Radley College is a private school located in Oxfordshire. At the school, PSCORE engaged with the students during a series of events, attending classes in history and politics, and giving a presentation in the school’s assembly hall. Not only did many students attend the events, but their smart questions also demonstrated a sincere interest in the human rights situation in North Korea.
In the following days, PSCORE got the chance to visit two more private schools, Eton College and Dulwich College, both located in close proximity to London. Just as at Radley College, the team received a warm welcome and got plenty of opportunities to discuss North Korean human rights with the students.
After an eventful week, PSCORE’s last stop was Westminster in London, where the team had a meeting with Lord Alton, member of the British House of Lords. Lord Alton has been an outspoken advocate of human rights throughout his career and has recently published a book on North Korea, titled “Building bridges: Is there Hope for North Korea?” Throughout the meeting, he was very interested to learn more about PSCORE’s work, and Kim Young-Il and Secretary-General Nam Bada had the chance to provide him with valuable insights based on their experience with North Korean defectors.
Our team has now returned to Seoul and, inspired by two exciting weeks in Europe, will continue to work for improve the lives of North Koreans. We would like to thank everyone who has made this great trip possible for their invaluable support.
Below are some pictures of our trip (more will follow)
Kim Young-Il during a seminar at the University of Oxford
PSCORE members with students and staff at the Oriental Institute at Oxford
Radley College
Young-Il speaking about his journey at Radley College
Dulwich College
Bada Nam and Young-Il Kim with Lord Alton, in front of Westminster.
