2019-11-24 Planning meeting 1, "North Korea: Send his father home."

On December 8, 2019, a few days before the 50th anniversary of the hijacking of a South Korean airplane by a North Korean agent, Hwang In-Cheol will visit Imjingak near the DMZ to call on North Korea to free his father who was abducted to North Korea in that hijacking. The main point will be at Freedom Bridge, the bridge that Mr. Hwang and 10 others were not allowed to cross.

How many people will join Mr. Hwang that day? We know that at least six people will be there, we all pledged it last night. A former Unification Ministry official has said he will be there. One of Mr. Hwang's relatives will join. So that means at least 8 of us will be there.

Before our planning meeting, we wrapped up a Track 1 orientation for new tutors. Mr. Hwang arrived early, as always, so I asked him to speak for a few minutes about his rally and campaign. As I told him in 2016, he is always welcome to present at our meetings to recruit volunteers to his effort.

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A television team was there to have interviews and to record our planning meeting. First Mr. Hwang met with TNKR's co-founders to discuss December 8th.

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They then interview me, which was hilarious. When they wanted shots of me at work, I opened my email and sent messages to friends and TNKR volunteers.

The reporter asked sharp and pointed questions. That was bad timing, because I had been working on several things on Sunday, after staying up most of the night listening to college football.

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Planning meeting

It was then time for the main reason we were there: planning meeting for December 8th's trip to Imjingak! Jennifer, Michael and Allan are the volunteers who joined us. Such plannings are when the truest of true believers show up. Events don't happen on their own, it takes behind the scenes planning that often doesn't attract media. But in this case, media was there to document what was going on!

As far as the meeting, I outlined the history of the project, discussed what happened the last time we went to Imjingak in 2016, and what we had discussed with Mr. Hwang.

We then brainstormed the timeline and activities for December 8th.

Current schedule:

11:00 AM: Departure from Seoul.
12 noon: Arrive at Imjingak, gather at Indoor Center. DMZ생태관광지원센터
1-1:30 PM: Read and sign petition
1:30-1:45 Move to Freedom Bridge
2:00-3:00 Rally on Freedom Bridge
Please consider making a donation to this effort, the fee for using Freedom Bridge is about $200 USD.

All are welcome, you can RSVP here to get announcements related to this rally at Imjingak.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/north-korea-send-his-father-home-tickets-83533664439

Last night we had an initial planning meeting to get prepared for the rally. We aren't done, many things need to be done. We need things such as placards, to recruit people to join, a banner, raise money to cover costs (probably about $300 on the low-end).

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The TV team then had a second interview with Mr. Hwang.

I made it clear three years ago that Mr. Hwang could use our office for meetings or interviews. He doesn't have his own office for such meetings, so our office is more comfortable than meeting reporters at coffee shops or renting a room at a business center.

Join us on December 8th.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/north-korea-send-his-father-home-tickets-83533664439

Support his campaign: https://give.lovetnkr.com/en/KAL1969

Watch his YouTube playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-6_xImxyTAKr06xx029WeeS31UHzPwkf

My Korea Times column about joining his effort: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2016/06/137_208087.html

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

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."

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 ...

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...

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...

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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