Mulmangcho--September 1, 2013

Sunday we had four new volunteers join us at the Mulmangcho School for adolescent North Korean refugees. I had warned them that there would probably be no veteran teachers to help them, so it was sink or swim. They came armed with games and activities!

I'm always amazed by the people willing to take time out to go out to Yeoju, but Sunday was even more amazing: They thought it was a three-hour ride to the school. So they were delighted when they realized it takes about 75 minutes to get there. What I couldn't get over was: they were willing to spend six hours traveling to volunteer.

Two of the volunteers stayed in the afternoon to go pick some apples with the students and school leaders.

Prof. Park and the students also celebrated my latest birthday coming up, so that was good.

The school is going through some changes because a few of the students have graduated or moved on. And we are also going through a transition with our volunteers because some of our regulars have also moved on (to go back home or other activities).

The Mulmangcho group to sign up for updates.

More photos and details here.

Park Jin welcoming remarks to FSI (and Casey Lartigue)

National Assembly member Park Jin makes the welcoming remarks at FSI's conference featuring North Korean diplomats. Park Jin | Greeting message to FSI and Casey Lartigue mention - YouTube

Does a flower turn to the sun?

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Most of the people who contact us at TNKR naturally want to tutor North Korean refugees. Many potential volunteers are shocked shocked shock ed to learn that they can volunteer with TNKR in other ways. I tell many of them: "Not everyone at KFC cooks chickens. There are also delivery people, accountants, marketers, personnel, and a host of other positions." Earlier this year, we began developing the TNKR Volunteer Leadership Academy. I'm still waiting for someone to take over that little project. Until then, I will continue with developing it. And be developing it, I mean telling people, "Don't write me a long business plan about what you would like to do. Just start doing it, keep me updated and in the conversations, then let's talk and update." We have had a recent influx of volunteers who want to help TNKR in other ways. Jackie Cole is now running our Instagram. She constantly surprises me with the flyers and videos she posts. I made it clear from the ...

Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

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