Tongil Mom will present the results of research that began in 2018 based on interviews of almost 40 women who defected from North Korea who were forced to leave behind their offspring in China before coming to South Korea, and who also suffered the fate of forced repatriation to North Korea. The event will feature the testimonies of some of the defectors who participated in the survey.

The shocking violation of North Korean women is not only happening in North Korea but also in China. It has been well-documented that women who attempt to defect and escape to China are repatriated from China back to North Korea, where they are imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and have forced abortions perpetrated on them. Tongil Mom’s research and eyewitnesses have further revealed that in China, these women are forced to undergo abortions, are forced into human trafficking, are forced into employment in the sex trafficking industry, and are separated from their children when resettling in South Korea.

In addition to the testimonies of these eyewitnesses, the event will also feature expert analysis and commentary from Dr. Sandra Fahy, Visiting Fellow at the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School. Opening and closing remarks will be made by Travis Weber, Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs and Director of the Center for Religious Liberty at Family Research Council.

Testimonies by:

Jeong Ah Kim, Founder & President of Tongil Mom

Myunghee Son, Member, Tongil Mom

Sunhee Lee, Manager of the Gyeonggi Province Branch, Tongil Mom

Eun Kyung Oh, Ph.D., Director, Tongil Mom; Counselor and Mental Health Expert

Sandra Fahy, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow at the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School