Skip to main content

2015-10-27 Sharon at Sungkyungkwan University


Five years ago, on October 27, 2015, Teach North Korean Refugees Ambassador Sharon Jang spoke at Sungkyungkwon University. We have suddenly had several speaking opportunities, arranged by volunteers in TNKR. It was one of our most active times for public speaking. We had recently launched the public speaking program and we weren't yet an official organization so we had fewer Organizational responsibilities (meaning, I could then freelance a bit and organize more of these freelance events). 

Of course, COVID has changed everything, but in 2021 we hope to be more active again with the public speaking program.

https://www.facebook.com/donate/999256267216506

https://give.lovetnkr.com/Voices

Here are my notes from five years ago:

* Dead men can ask questions: Sharon spoke in Korean today, so it meant she could tell her story in more detail. A few of the students remarked that it was the first time they had concentrated that hard in class. The students, a mix of international and South Koreans, had many questions during Q&A. Korean students are known for being bumps-on-a-log during Q&A, but they had many questions today. That means: If you present something interesting or different, even Korean students can rise from the dead...

* Click your heels three times: So often people ask me how they can help. I count to 10 before answering. Then I meet others who just do it. They read, listen, observe, then come up with something to do. Today's event was set up by international students who visited my office last month. Rorry Ambers Late and Maaike de Jong set up the event, the first of two, by finding professors willing to accept us (many think the words "North Korea" are automatically political and avoid anything to do with it). So many people want to save the world, looking for the BIG THING that requires the UN to get involved, rather than doing what they can do with the resources they have.  Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. These days, when people ask what they do, I tell them to pretend they are Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz--click your heels three times, the power is within you...

* They laughed, they cried... Last week, the translator cried during Sharon's speech. Today, Ingue Chun almost had the crowd in tears, with his humorous translation performance. I won't mention details, to protect his reputation as an interpreter.^^

* Dance at the revolution: Somehow, even though we are talking about serious topics, it seems that we still have a great time at these events. I'm sure some blame me. I blame Emma Goldman, and a quote attributed to her: "If I can't dance then I don't want to join your revolution."

* * * 

Rorry adds:

https://www.facebook.com/rorry.late/posts/10206961858939329

So happy and proud to have finally brought TNKR to SKKU to educate & raise awareness among the students with Maaike's valuable contribution. Big thanks to our professor Lee for the generous donation & being a kind host. I can't wait for the next two events of TNKR involving international students and SKKU!

Thank you Casey Lartigue for your support and this well written post. Thank you Sharon for your informative and interesting speech. Thank you Ingue for your entertaining translation. & last but not least. Thank you Maaike for being a lovely and committed team partner!

* * *


Ingue Chun writes:

https://www.facebook.com/ingue.chun/posts/10206403282218753

This day was a good day with Casey Lartigue, Sharon Jang, Rorry Ambers Late, and Maaike. We helped raise awareness of the hardships North Korean Refugees go through to young Korean students.

Big shout out to all who helped organize and I thank them for having me! ^^



Sharon joined TNKR in April 2015, then gave several speeches within a short time.


I introduced about TNKR and encouraged attendees to get involved.


Note to the judgmental People of the Internet: Ingue has Lasik surgery shortly before this event. Despite that, he came out anyway. One Person of the Internet a few years ago had suggested he was being rude by wearing sunglasses. 


Another pose, then I suggested Sharon should be at the center, and we should take a fun photo.

Some of the audience members were in tears as they listened.

The professor was one of the first to ask questions.



Speeches in classes don't always work out well, there is usually a difference between students who join an event as compared to those who have us show in their class. They are probably wondering, "Is this gonna be on the test?" But this group really did have a lot of questions.






Rorry ran down the street looking for the shuttle bus!

I think Rorry was complaining that I am too tall, and that was her way to make us the same height?

Rorry and Maaike made the event happen! Rorry started it all when she started volunteering with TNKR, then brought more international students with her.





Popular posts from this blog

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working."   She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."
Read more

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 ...
Read more

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
Read more

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...
Read more

To be a good volunteer, use your brain (Korea Times, December 5, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. There is probably an unwritten rule that a celebrity offering to do volunteer work for a good cause should immediately be embraced. Well, that’s not what happened to Jeong So-dam, the glamorous Korean cable TV announcer when our paths crossed on Nov. 29. Ms. Jeong was the MC of an event about American political philosophy hosted by the Association for Economic Evolution. During my speech about American libertarianism since 1940, I discussed my volunteer work for North Korean refugees. After the speech, Jeong approached me, asking how she could help. I gave her the same tough love I give to potential volunteers by asking: “Who are you?” After all, if you are Bill Gates, then open your wallet. If you speak four languages, then help with translation work. So I first stress to potential volunteers: Use your brain. Tell us about your skills and interests so together we can figure out your initial role.  Jeong was good-natured about it, rather than c...
Read more