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RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2837
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RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
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RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR PRIORITY

UNCLAS SEOUL 001967 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PREF PGOV PINR KS KN
SUBJECT: PRAGMATIC CONCERNS TAKE PRECEDENCE FOR NK DEFECTORS 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) During a June 26-28 leadership camp sponsored by 
NGO Citizens' Alliance for North Korea Human Rights 
(Citizens' Alliance), 16 young North Korean defectors 
received the message of democratic activism.  However, more 
pragmatic advice on adjusting to South Korean society 
captivated their attention.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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LEADERSHIP CAMP FOR DEFECTOR YOUTH 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) As one of its myriad projects in support of North 
Korean defectors, the Seoul-based Citizens' Alliance, a 
private NGO, sponsored a three-day camp for North Korean 
youth with leadership potential.  As explained to us by 
Citizens' Alliance Secretary General Kim Young-ja, resettled 
North Koreans are expected to play a key future role in 
mediating the relationship between North and South Koreans in 
a unified Korea.  Thus, she explained, it is vital to 
identify potential leaders, educate them about democratic 
values and provide them with the leadership skills necessary 
for their success.  Sixteen resettled North Koreans 
participated in the leadership camp, which was in held near 
Seoul June 26 to 28.  They were all college students:  nine 
were Chinese majors, three studied theology or religious 
education, and one each studied in the fields of Business, 
English, Nursing, and Visual Arts.  POL's Korean-speaking 
intern joined the group as an observer. 
 
------------------------------------ 
DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST FACES TOUGH CROWD 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Ana Mosneagu, an International Republican Institute 
(IRI) representative from Romania, was the event's featured 
speaker.  As an expert on the democracy movement in Romania, 
Mosneagu explained her country's transition from a closed 
communist regime to a more open, free state, and the role of 
the citizens who chose to participate in bringing about 
regime change 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Mosneagu pushed the group to envision change in 
North Korea and asked them their thoughts on the DPRK opening 
to the outside world.  Most responded that change would be 
difficult and take a long time.  A twenty-nine year old 
female student pointed out that middle-aged defectors settled 
in the South still distrusted people of different races, and 
were reluctant to disavow all aspects of the political 
propaganda that they were taught throughout their lives.  "I 
understand how we want to see change in what North Koreans 
believe," she explained, "but if you crash into a person's 
mind with a set of completely different facts and values in 
matter of weeks, or even days, they break down - or even 
worse, they might hold on to the old stuff more strongly than 
ever before." 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A twenty-two year old female defector, a student, 
added that when she learned that the Korean War was started 
by the DPRK, "I was so shocked, and I fell ill for several 
days. If North and South Koreans under a unified Korea fight 
over something, it could be historical matters such as who 
started the Korean War." A South Korean moderator suggested 
that the two peoples would surely fight over investment 
rights, real estate, land development, to which a defector 
student replied "most importantly, we will need to decide who 
gets to represent a unified Korea." 
 
------------------------------------ 
REALISTIC RESPONSES TO BIG QUESTIONS 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Mosneagu kicked off another discussion on "higher 
ambitions and potential for defector NK youth." Ms. Mosneagu 
asked, "Who will draft the constitution? Who will revamp the 
outdated laws?  Who will spread the word of democracy to a 
disconcerted population?  Tell me how you will achieve all 
this ten years from now on."  Most of the participants, 
however, had more immediate concerns.  The students majoring 
in Chinese replied that they chose the major considering the 
immediate advantages - getting a job in Korea-China trade, 
teaching Chinese at public schools, as well as freelance 
interpretation and translation.  These students explained 
that they sought jobs that would give them an immediate 
advantage over average Koreans. The winning edge, they said, 
was their first-hand exposure to China and Chinese language, 
tolerance and sympathy for people in desperate need of 
education and Christianity. The religious studies majors 
explained that they chose their majors in the hope of 
continuing missionary work in China, and helping 
disadvantaged people in North Korea someday. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Mosneagu emphasized the importance of English 
skills. "Fluency in English is crucial to connecting with the 
outside world, and bringing in newest information, the best 
government systems and brightest educators from all over the 
world," Mosneagu observed.  While everyone in the room nodded 
in agreement, they wondered why Mosneagu, even though she 
spoke English fluently, worked as a political activist and 
leader of an NGO. "How can you work when you're getting paid 
so little?" asked a 26-year-old male defector student. 
Mosneagu replied that "it's not about the money, it's about 
what I believe." 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The indefatigable Mosneagu urged the students to 
have more confidence and broader visions as future leaders. 
Indeed, by the end of the discussion, students were putting 
out more ambitious job titles such as Minister of Foreign 
Affairs and Trade, Minister of Unification, Minister of 
National Defense, ROK diplomat in Beijing, or Grand National 
Party officer. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
PARTICIPANTS FOCUS ON FINANCIAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In contrast to the lukewarm response given to the 
democracy activist, the participants were keenly interested 
in a presentation on legal issues facing North Korean 
defectors.  The students peppered the Korean Bar Association 
representative with questions about debt, loans, inheritance, 
contracts, tenant rules, real estate, and other financial 
issues.  They were also concerned about marriage laws, 
especially property co-ownership with the spouse, and laws 
regulating traffic and car accidents.  Most were concerned 
about the cost of legal advice and also the legal 
consequences of Korean identification numbers issued at 
Hanawon. (Note: The ROKG records the district number of 
Ansang (2523), where Hanawon is located, as the "birthplace" 
of defectors.  Thus, defectors all have the series "2523" in 
their identification numbers.). 
 
¶10.  (SBU) "We never got education like this at Hanawon," 
said a 23-year-old female student majoring in Chinese in a 
major South Korean university.  "I have a lot of things to 
ask a lawyer, but I was afraid it would cost me several 
million won (thousands of USD)."  When asked what she would 
do with this new information, she replied that she would 
immediately share it with her friends. However, when asked 
about becoming a legal expert in the future to help other NK 
defectors, students answered shyly, "that sounds great, but I 
don't think I am competent enough." Despite their interest in 
the legal system, the students expressed the view that the 
legal profession was an elite group unofficially reserved for 
only the smartest South Koreans. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶11.  (SBU) We hardly fault the organizers for trying, but 
there was an awkward disconnect throughout much of this 
leadership camp.  The idealism of democratic activism clashed 
with the hard reality of North Korean defectors, who are 
desperately trying to adjust to life in the ROK and compete 
with their South Korean peers.  At least for this group of 
defectors, who represent some of the best and the brightest 
of the growing defector population, the highest priorities 
remain paying the bills and getting a job.  Spreading 
democracy and resolving the issues of unification would have 
to wait until later. 
VERSHBOW