오늘 본국판 조선일보에서, 북한 인권 운동가 수잔 솔티 여사의, 애절한 뜻이 담긴 기고문을 보았다. 남한의 민간단체들이 북한의 동포들에게 김정일 집단의 진실을 알리기위해 풍선에 삐라를 달아 날려 보내는 운동을, 북한의 정권은 남한 정부를 위협하면서, 막아달라고 안달인데, 이에 남한 정부가, 남한은 민주 국가라서 국가에서 김정일 독재집단처럼 마음데로 인민의 자유를 막을수 없기에, 들어줄수 없다고 한다. 그결과 개성공단의 상주인구 축소, 개성관광열차 운행 취소, 금강산관광취소, 그리고도 모자라 다시 남한을 불바다로 만들어 버리겠다고 으름장이 끝이질 않는다고 한다. 외국의 한 민권운동가가, 삐라날리기 운동의 중요성을 역설하고, 배고픔과 공포정치에 시달리는 북한 동포의 아픔을 더이상은 참을수 없어, 계속해서 풍선에 우리 자유국가에 살고 있는 남한동포들이 그들의 적이 아니고 진실한 친구이자 동포라고 역설하는반면, 그들의 적은 바로 그들이 하늘처럼 우러러 받드는 김정일과 그일당들임을 확실히 역설하고 있어, 시선을 끌기에 충분했다. 여기에 그내용을 옮겨서, 두고 두고 읽어 보고져 함이다. 어제 밤에도 이곳 토론토에서는 김대중 정권때 통일부 장관을 했던 정세현씨가 한인회관에서 이곳 동포들을 상대로 강연을 했었다. 나는 참석안했다. 통박이 훤히 보이는 그강연에 참석한다는것은, 김정일정권을 옹호하는 결과와 같다고 생각했기 때문이다. 아니나 다를까, 내 생각은 적중했다. 이곳 동포신문 중앙일보에는 내가 생각했던데로, 강연의 결과가 기사화 된것을 인터넷 신문에서 보았다. 기가 막힌다. 국민의 혈세를 사용하면서 해외 동포를 상대로, 김정일 선전(?)을 언제까지 하고 다닐것인가?
Why Balloon Launches to North Korea Must Continue
There has been much controversy swirling about the recent pronouncements against the non-governmental organizations launching balloons over North Korea. The South Korea government is under enormous pressure from the North Korean regime to intervene and stop these launches. There has been a steady stream of angry declarations and threats from North Korea starting with a threat to shut down Kaesung, cut off all ties with South Korea, and turn South Korea into debris. These declarations are just more evidence of how critically important these messages from the free world are in reaching out to the North Korean people. Today, it is perhaps more important than ever that these launches continue because of the declining health of Kim Jong-il and the uncertainty clouding succession in North Korea. Now, more than ever before, the North Korean people need to know the truth: that South Koreans and Americans are their friends who have been trying for decades to save them from starvation and to pressure their dictator to reform his regime. The North Korean people need to know, now more than ever before, that despite decades of propaganda that South Koreans and Americans are NOT their greatest enemies, but their true enemy is Kim Jong-il, and the greatest threat the North Korean people face is not from those of us living in the free world, but their Dear Leader who is universally loathed and considered one of the worst dictators in modern history. The South Korean government must resist the pressure and the threats from the North Korean regime and stand in solidarity with those who are sending in balloons. With the election of President Lee Myung Bak, South Korea finally has a leader who cares about the suffering North Korean people, who have had no one to represent them at the 6 Party Talks, the North-South summits as all agreements have been focused on Kim Jong-il’s nuclear threats. It is long overdue for someone in a position of authority in South Korea to act in the best interest of the North Korean people for a change, and not act in the best interest of Kim Jong-il, which was clearly the policy of Lee’s predecessors Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moo-hyun. Remember that these balloon launches were once something that the South Korean government sponsored before D.J. Kim ushered in the “Sunshine Policy” that brought no sunshine to North Korea, just prolonged agony, suffering, darkness and death. Furthermore, these balloon launches are important because we know that due to a lack of electricity there are whole sections of North Korea that can only be reached with these messages. While I continue to be a huge supporter and advocate of Free North Korea Radio and all those who are broadcasting into North Korea, we also need to reach out to those who have no access to this medium. Just last month I interviewed several North Korean women who had never had the opportunity to tune into outside radio or television programs, but knew and had seen the pamphlets. One woman who lived just north of the DMZ told me she hoped the South Korean people would continue to send them, but she told me, “Please include in the messages that the food that they are sending with the leaflets is not poisoned, because the North Korean regime has told us if we eat the food our skin will fall off and we will die.” The most important thing to remember is what these pamphlets being sent into North Korea are all about. Park Sang Hak and the Fighters for a Free North Korea are sending in messages of true history and true facts about Kim Jong-il along with money to help North Koreans survive. There is nothing more powerful than North Koreans living in freedom reaching out with the truth to their brothers and sisters living in enslavement. Other NGOs are sending in pamphlets with messages of hope to their loved ones, specifically abductees taken from South Korea against their will to North Korea, while Christian NGOs are sending in messages of love and forgiveness about Jesus Christ and a loving God, while pointing out that Kim Jong-il is no god. Why has North Korea reacted so vehemently against these launches? Because Kim Jong il ironically seems to understand something that we in the free world are sadly forgetting, this simple fact: the truth shall set you free. His regime relies on propaganda and isolation to keep the North Korean people literally “in the dark” about the prosperity in South Korea, brought about through capitalism, and freedom and respect for human rights, all concepts that are a deadly threat to Kim’s dictatorship. He furthermore cannot have NGOs pointing out that there is a God who loves, redeems, forgives, and frees because Kim is no god, but a dictator who hates, condemns, enslaves and kills. At this time of great uncertainty, we must ask ourselves on whose side do we want to stand: those who reach out with concern to the North Korean people with messages of truth, hope, and love OR do we want to stand on the side of Kim Jong-il, the man responsible for genocide against the people of North Korea. Now is the time to choose your side and take a stand.
입력 : 2008.12.02 22:54
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