2014-01-21 Swiss, free market and NK issues overlap

Yesterday was another one of those funny interesting days in my life. I was so busy with the usual Monday morning catching up before rushing to a noon meeting with Johanna Poole. She is another dynamite unsung heroine for the cause of NK human rights.

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* Then my next appointment showed up--Henrique Schneider, chief economist of the Swiss Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises. We were scheduled to talk about the economy in Switzerland to get ready for a discussion I would be moderating a bit later. He has been to North Korea to deliver lectures on economics, but before yesterday, he had only focused on economic issues when it came to North Korea. Well! Johanna and I fixed that! I got him to commit to raise at least $2,500 to help rescue at least one refugee from North Korea or to support the adjustment of a North Korean refugee here.

[As I have previously written, I am not interested in going to North Korea, I'd prefer to spend time and resources on helping people escape or adjust.]

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2012/12/137_127749.html

* After that discussion, Henri and I caught up on some things. We have known each other for about three years, but we have mostly emailed. It was a delightful conversation, he had more questions about human rights issue in North Korea and about North Koreans who successfully escape.

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* I then moderated a Freedom Factory Co. Ltd. discussion at which Henri gave a one-hour lecture to several heirs of SMEs in Korea. He discussed the situation in Switzerland with comparisons to Korea. There are some featured speakers who have a prepared presentation that they must get through. And then there are speakers who don't mind being interrupted, welcome questions and challenges. I sensed that with Henri, confirmed it, so that made the session more lively because we peppered him with questions for almost two hours. He said several things about Switzerland that shocked the folks there, but then when he learned about some of Korea's policies, he was in utter disbelief.

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* We then wrapped up the day with another speech by Henri, this time to several professors who teach at Samsung. They were a particularly active group, it was useless for me to try to moderate them. They were as animated as six-year old kids at a candy buffet. So we had another great session, with everyone leaving the session more educated than when they arrived.

Henri comes to Korea about three or four times a year, so we will be holding a larger session for him next time around. I will be sure to remind him about supporting a North Korean refugee's escape or adjustment.

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Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo

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Public forum on FTA on Thursday 2011-07-05 19:21 A conference on economic opportunities and challenges arising from the Korea-EU FTA which came into effect on July 1 will take place in Seoul on Thursday. The conference, taking place at the Koreana Hotel from 2 p.m., will also examine the current economic crisis in Europe and economic development in Korea. The event is being jointly hosted by the Center for Free Enterprise, a Seoul-based free market think-tank, and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty, a German foundation for the promotion of individual freedom which has offices around the world including in Seoul. “We picked the date hoping National Assembly members wouldn’t find a way to delay the agreement going into effect. So this is really timely because we are holding this less than a week after the agreement went into effect,” said Casey Lartigue Jr., manager of international relations at the CFE. Speakers at the conference titled “Economic Freedom

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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