Speech at Handong Global University (2021-11-10)

I had a great time speaking at Handong Global University in Pohang, Korea. They treated my speech like it was a big deal and treated me like I was a VIP. They insisted on even carrying my bags around. When I was on the train coming back to Seoul, I was wondering why I was returning.

My schedule was arranged by FSI co-president Eunkoo Lee and Handong Global University staff. That meant I didn't have a free moment to myself. I had one meeting after another. Even if I had tried to get lost, it seemed there would have been someone from Handong Global University waiting there to point me in the right direction.

I had a wonderful meeting with a North Korean refugee who drove 40 miles to meet me. She had recently learned about FSI. She gave me her book, which then started the fight. I saw the price of the book, so I insisted on buying it from her. Many people want free copies of a book, even though authors put so much time into them. Some people even ask for free copies before you finish the book.

She refused to take the money, I refused to take it back. It was a tug of war with both sides throwing the rope away. Finally, when she insisted on buying me something to drink, she finally relented and took the money for the book.

I have had similar battles. Check this post for "Reverse Robbery" when I battled with a different North Korean refugee author and "Worthy Paycheck Fight" when I battled with Changyang Ju.

Some nitwits have accused North Korean refugees of being in a "cottage industry," as I wrote in a recent Korea Times column. As I noted, it takes North Korean refugee authors on average more than a decade to publish a book. This author published her book 13 years after arriving in South Korea.

A great thing about our work is that we don't recruit North Korean refugees. We are offering something valued by those who find us.

Greg Brown was also part of the welcoming team. He has published 35 books, so he also gave us some tips about our book publishing adventure. He's also from Texas.

After my speech, several of the students came up to ask questions. For some reason, people get surprised when I then ask them to take a photo. One of the ladies said I am a celebrity so she was honored. I asked, "If you think I am a celebrity, then when did you first learn about me? And how many celebrities ask other people to take photos with them?"

The inquisition didn't stop. The staff and attendees were asking me numerous questions over dinner.

He picked me up from the train station. It was his job to make sure I didn't get lost!

Yes, it is true, I finally made it to Pohang.

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 ...

Freedom Factory Shareholder Meeting (2015-01-31)

Re: Building something out of nothing Freedom Factory is a very small company, of which I am a shareholder. Yesterday we had our annual shareholder meeting. Freedom Factory is allowing us to "incubate" TNKR until we can stand on our two own feet--or at least crawl on our four hands and feet. (Consumer Rights Watch is in the same position). I owe special thanks to FF CEO 김정호. He is a "true believer" in the cause of freedom, so he is allowing both projects to grow out of FF. That's even though Freedom Factory is a small start up with the CEO, staff and supporters wondering how we are going to achieve our dreams with such a tight budget. So when I say I am so thankful to the volunteers and donors of TNKR, it isn't just lip service. Volunteers--along with Freedom Factory, the Atlas Network, donors--are helping us to create something out of nothing, helping North Korean refugees find their own way and tell their own stories. Like the FF CEO, I also don...

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."

2018-09-28 Not everyone at KFC cooks chickens

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 ...

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