The Jeonnam Branch of the NamBuk Hana Development Institute Conducts Human Rights Experience Education

The Jeonnam Branch of the Nambuk Hana Development Institute conducted a human rights education program from the 4th to the 27th of last month.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Ki-dong] The Jeonnam branch of the Nam-Buk Hana Development Institute (Branch Manager Kim Su-jeong, hereinafter Jeonnam Branch) announced on the 2nd that it recently conducted a human rights education program.

The Jeonnam Branch, established as a corporation last August with the purpose of integrating local communities through mutual understanding education programs for South and North Koreans, officially began activities last January. However, due to COVID-19, planned events were repeatedly postponed or canceled, and the program was conducted for the first time last month.

Starting with human rights education on the 4th of last month, a human rights experience program was held on the 7th, followed by a Dream Tree program on the 27th. The human rights experience program involved visiting the May 18th Peace Park, the May 18th National Cemetery, and the former Jeonnam Provincial Office to commemorate the spirits who sacrificed for democracy, peace, and human rights.

About 600 North Korean defectors reside in the western region of Jeonnam, with approximately 160 living in Mokpo, where the Jeonnam Branch is located.

The program aimed to form a personal network among them, foster empathy to prevent loneliness and alienation, and conduct mutual understanding programs for South and North Koreans to alleviate feelings of discord.

Since the suicide rate among North Korean defectors is three times higher than that of South Koreans, the Jeonnam Branch has an executive committee composed of five North Korean defectors, and currently has about 200 members.

Branch Manager Kim Su-jeong said, “30% of the members are South Koreans and 50% are supporting members, but it is difficult to carry out projects solely with their donations,” adding, “Support from companies and individuals is urgently needed.”

Kim Su-jeong defected from North Korea in 2004, entered South Korea in 2010, and currently serves as a social unification education instructor and a researcher at the Unification Culture Research Institute.

In particular, at Mokpo Sarang Church (Senior Pastor Baek Dong-gyu), North Korean defectors are invited to the church during holidays to watch performances and are treated with gifts and food. Recently, 25 members provided 110 masks and 55 mask storage cases to members.

The Nam-Buk Hana Development Institute is an organization established to help understand the cultural differences between South and North Korea and to prepare for unification by promoting understanding of these differences in the civilian sector. Its projects include community integration, case management, job support, and unification culture dissemination.